Vitamin and food supplement practices and nutrition beliefs of the elderly in seven Western states

Sheehan, Edward T.; Delett, Ann; Read, Marsha; Bendel, Bob; Mitchell, Madeleine E.; Bhalla, Vijay; Bock, Margaret Ann; Harrill, Inez; Schütz, Holger; Standal, Bluebell R.

doi:10.1016/s0271-5317(89)80068-5

Cited by 8 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The most popular supplements were preparations containing vitamin C, multivitamins/minerals and vitamin E. This is in agreement with other Australian studies 2,3,5,6 . International studies have shown that the use of vitamin C and vitamin E preparations is consistently in the range of 10–25% of all older supplement users 8,10,12,19–24 . Regular and prolonged use of high‐dose vitamin C preparations can cause adverse reactions, interfere with several laboratory tests and mask the diagnosis of certain conditions, such as gout and colon cancer.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…Supplement users consistently state that they use vitamin C for their general health and to prevent coughs and colds 10,13,21,22 . Sheehan et al 22 . identified many older supplement users who believed that some forms of illness, including cancer, were caused by a vitamin deficiency.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2,3,5,6 International studies have shown that the use of vitamin C and vitamin E preparations is consistently in the range of 10-25% of all older supplement users. 8,10,12,[19][20][21][22][23][24] Regular and prolonged use of high-dose vitamin C preparations can cause adverse reactions, interfere with several laboratory tests and mask the diagnosis of certain condi- tions, such as gout and colon cancer. At large doses (1 g/ day) vitamin C may cause diarrhoea and interfere with diagnostic tests, such as serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum and urine glucose tests, and increases urinary excretion of uric acid, which could obscure the diagnosis of gout.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These show that older supplement users cited 'the desire for more energy' and the desire to correct a perceived 'dietary inadequacy' as common reasons for the use of supplements containing vitamins B12, C, D and E. 21 Supplement users consistently state that they use vitamin C for their general health and to prevent coughs and colds. 10,13,21,22 Sheehan et al 22 identified many older supplement users who believed that some forms of illness, including cancer, were caused by a vitamin deficiency.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Supplement utilisation patterns of older Australians: Results from a randomly selected national sample

Rolfe

2005

Nutrition & Dietetics

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Objective: The aim of the present study was to measure the prevalence and patterns of dietary and health supplement utilisation of older Australians. Design: A self‐administered mail questionnaire. Subjects and setting: Almost 2500 Australians aged 65 years and over were randomly selected from the 2000 Australian Electoral Commission roll. All states and territories were proportionally represented in the sample. Responses were obtained from 1263 predominantly independently living Australians aged 65 years and over. Results: At the time of the survey, 43% (n = 548) reported the use of some form of supplement: females 52% (n = 324) and males 35% (n = 224). The supplements used most often were vitamin C (26%), multivitamin/mineral preparations (17%), fish oils (17%), vitamin E (16%), calcium (+/– vitamin D) (13%), garlic capsules or oil (11%), vitamin B (single or mixed) (9%), other single vitamins or minerals (7%), zinc (6%) and gingko (5%). The majority of supplements were consumed regularly (daily or every few days) and for an extended period (more than three years). Supplement users appeared to rely on their doctor, newspapers, family or friends and pharmacy staff for information about supplements. The most commonly cited reasons for supplement use were to enhance energy levels, improve stamina and promote feelings of wellness. Conclusion: A high proportion of older supplement users reported regular and prolonged patterns of supplement use. Health professionals should explore the motives that maintain this behaviour, evaluate the appropriateness of the type and patterns of supplement use and provide supplement users with information that explains the potential risks associated with commonly used supplements.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Supplement utilisation patterns of older Australians: Results from a randomly selected national sample

Rolfe

2005

Nutrition & Dietetics

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“…Although the use of dietary supplements among older individuals is commonplace [1–19], limited research has focused on exploring the profile of older supplement users. It is well established that among the general adult population aged 18–60 years, supplement users can be characterised on the basis of several demographic and lifestyle variables including gender, ethnicity, level of education, income, self‐rated health status, weight status, nutrient intake, cigarette and alcohol consumption [5,7–9,12,17,20–25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of older dietary supplement users: review of the literature

Brownie

2005

Australas J Ageing

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Published literature reports rates of dietary supplement usage by individuals aged 60 years or more to be 16−60%. Prevalence figures are dependent on the population studied and the method of data collection. In general, older supplement users are female, Caucasian and well educated, with healthier lifestyle practices than non-supplement users, and they are less likely to be overweight or to smoke. Neither income nor self-rated health status are reliable predictors of supplement use in this group. In many cases older supplement users report higher intakes of several micronutrients from food than older non-supplement users. Current patterns of supplement use by the older person reveal that although they consume a range of products, they do not supplement with nutrients that are of particular benefit to them. The supplements most commonly consumed by individuals aged 60 years and over are multivitamins and minerals, vitamin C and vitamin E preparations. There is insufficient data to quantify the dosage, frequency and duration of supplement use by the older population. Obtaining this information and data about herbal medicine use is an important step towards minimising the risk of drug-nutrient-herbal interactions. Identifying the health professionals who monitor the appropriateness and safety of supplement use in older individuals, particularly given the already high use of medication in this population, also needs to be a focus of future utilisation investigations. This systematic review of the literature published between 1982 and 2003 aims to measure the patterns of dietary supplement use by community-living individuals aged 60 years and over and to profile the characteristics of older supplement users.

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