Supplement users differ from nonusers in demographic, lifestyle, dietary and health characteristics

This study delineates demographic, lifestyle, dietary and health factors as sociated with the use of supplements at varying levels. Data are from a pop ulation-based cohort of 2,152 middle- to older-age adults living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Information was collected by in-person interviews between 1 988-1990. Associations were adjusted for gender and age. Use of supplements was more prevalent among women, persons with more than 12 years of educati on, those with relatively low body mass indices, persons with active lifest yles, and persons who never smoked as compared to current smokers (P < 0.05 ), Supplement users had higher intakes of most of the micronutrients from f ood that were examined in this study, including the antioxidant vitamins C and E and certain carotenoids (P less than or equal to 0.05), Intakes of da iry products and also foods that are important sources of vitamin C and car otenoids were higher among users of supplements, but relationships differed by gender and by the type and level of supplement intake. These findings s uggest that several factors need to be considered potential confounders in observational studies that examine the etiologic role of supplements in the occurrence of chronic disease.