Use of vitamin and mineral supplements among adolescents living in Germany—Results from EsKiMo II

Abstract

Dietary supplements may contribute to nutrient intake; however, actual data on dietary supplement use among adolescents living in Germany are rare. The aim of this analysis was to describe the current use of dietary supplements, its determinants, and reasons of use. Changes in supplement use over time were evaluated by comparing the results with those from EsKiMo I (2006). Data from the Eating Study as a KiGGS Module EsKiMo II (2015–2017) were used to analyze supplement intake according to sociodemographic, health characteristics, and physical exercise behavior of 12–17-year-olds (n = 1356). Supplement use during the past four weeks was assessed by a standardized computer assisted personal interview. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the association between supplement use and its determinants. Between 2015–2017, 16.4% (95%-CI: 13.0–19.7%) of the adolescents used dietary supplements, and its use decreased with lower levels of physical exercise and overweight. Most supplement users used only one supplement, often containing both vitamins and minerals. The most frequently supplemented nutrients were vitamin C and magnesium. The main reported reason to use supplements was ‘to improve health’. Prevalence of supplement use was slightly lower in 2015-2017 than in 2006 (18.5%; 95%-CI: 15.8–21.2%). The results underline the importance of including nutrient intake through dietary supplements in nutrition surveys.

Concomitant Use of Dietary Supplements and Medicines Among Preschool and School-Aged Children in Japan

“…This trend is consistent with our previous report [22]. However, the prevalence in adolescents was still lower than in the USA (32%) [13] or European countries (16.4-69.0%) [16,17,19]. New finding in this study is that the ratio of concomitant use of dietary supplement and medicine was also increased with children's age from 1.4% in one to three years to 6.0% in HS.…”

General public knowledge and use of dietary supplements in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“…A dietary supplement is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a product intended for ingestion that contains a “dietary ingredient” intended to add further nutritional value to (supplement) the diet. [1] Dietary supplements are used by millions in many forms such as multivitamins and it is commonly used as a result of self-diagnosed conditions and/or promote health[234] and the usage of supplements such as multivitamins has increased considerably in the past several years,[5] as it plays a key role in maintaining good health as a diet delivers essential nutrients while supplements complement said diet as it allows consumption of any deficiencies the diet lacks. [6] With increased health awareness, education and availability for dietary supplements would lead to overall wide usage.…”

Dietary Behavior and Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents

“…Data included in this Special Issue are from large epidemiological studies including several multi-center [5,6] and multinational studies [3,7] as well as datasets from surveillance initiatives, such as the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) [8,9], the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) [10], and the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (WHO COSI) [11]. Three of the studies in this Special Issue reported on the co-occurrence of multiple health behaviors in the same children [6,8,11], in particular the clustering of low levels of physical activity levels and/or high screen times with a higher consumption of energy-dense foods [6,8].…”

“…Two European studies evaluated the prevalence and determinants of dietary supplement use in children and adolescents, an important research question given that dietary supplement use has been implicated in preventable adverse drug events and emergency department visits in children and adolescents [21,22]. Data from the KiGGS Module EsKiMo II study showed that around 16% of adolescents in Germany use dietary supplements [9], and data from Eastern Poland reported that around 30% of children and adolescents use vitamin or mineral supplements [23]. Notably, the time frame for which supplement intake was queried was different in these two studies; in Germany the time frame was the previous four weeks and in Poland the past 12 months.…”

“…In comparison, 33% of children and adolescents in the United States use dietary supplements [21]. In the two European studies, supplement users were more often female, living in urban areas, from more highly educated families, more likely to be physically active, and less likely to be overweight or obese [9,23].…”