Nutrient Supplement Use among the Chinese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study of the 2010–2012 China Nutrition and Health Surveillance

Abstract

Nutrient supplements play a key role in managing malnutrition/chronic diseases and are commonly used in the world, but few studies described the prevalence of nutrient supplement use at the national level in China. To our knowledge, this study provides the first detailed investigation of nutrient supplement use in a nationally representative sample of the Chinese population. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of the nutrient supplement use among the Chinese population aged 6 years or older in 2010–2012. A stratified multistage cluster sampling method was conducted to recruit participants from 150 surveillance sites. The demographic characteristics and information about nutrient supplement use were collected through an interview-administrative questionnaire. A total of 74,501 children and adults (excluding the pregnant women) were included in the study (mean age, 35.7 years; male, 47.0%, female, 53.5%). Only 0.71% of the participants reported using nutrient supplements in the previous month. Participants aged 6–11 years and 60 years and above, female, living in large urban, with higher education level and higher family incomes were more likely to use nutrient supplements than their counterparts (p < 0.05). The prevalence of nutrient supplement use increased with age in Chinese adults. The highest usage among the nutrient supplements was multi-vitamins and minerals with 0.37%. More females used single vitamin, multi-mineral, multi-vitamins and minerals than males (p < 0.05). The nutrient supplement use proportion was highest amongst the participants with a health problem, and the participants who had no idea about their health conditions were the least likely to use the nutrient supplements (p < 0.05). The prevalence of nutrient supplement use was low among the Chinese population in 2010–2012. Further research is required to understand the social cognition, usage reasons, dosage and consumption motivation of NS, and the relationships with health effects, to ensure that the nutrient supplements can be appropriately promoted in China.

Higher intakes of dietary vitamin D, calcium and dairy products are inversely associated with the risk of colorectal cancer: a case–control study in China

“…However, other studies reported only minor differences between the total vitamin D and Ca intakes (including dietary and supplemental sources) and the intakes attributable solely to dietary sources (26,47) . Moreover, it was reported that in China, only 0•19-1•01 % and 0•24-1•19 % of adults took vitamin D and Ca supplements, respectively (66) . Fifth, the present study did not measure serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level which is a marker of systemic vitamin D exposure.…”

Food avoidance is associated with reduced dentitions and edentulousness

“…To our knowledge, studies investigating the prevalence of malnutrition amongst adults and elderly in China and Vietnam are lacking. However, in a Chinese study on nutrient supplement use, malnutrition was recognized as Bdouble burden,^meaning overweight and chronic diseases in urban and rural areas on the one hand, and stunting and underweight amongst poor rural residents on the other hand [31].…”

Dietary nutrient intake related to higher grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia risk: A Chinese population-based study

“…Test Kit (HybriBio Ltd), and cases were divided into the high-risk HPV infection group and "others" (including low-risk HPV and negative cases). This assay can identify 21 6,11,42,43,44, and CP8304, which were identi ed using the ow-through hybridization technique performed with a TC-96/G/H6 HPV DNA Ampli cation Analyzer and an HMM-2 fast nucleic acid molecule hybridization instrument (HybriBio Ltd).…”

“…The nutrition values from all other FFQ items were combined to obtain the total daily nutrition values. However, we did not collect the dietary supplement information in this study because the prevalence of nutrients supplement use is very low in Chinese population [42]. We estimated the level of each dietary nutrient intake as the following equation: Total daily nutrition value = total amount of each food (g/mg/µg) / (day)* intake value per 100 g, per 100 mg, and per 100 µg.…”