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Dietitians in the Netherlands and dietary supplements:
Practices, personal use and beliefs
Arne Lucas Ten Hoeve
ALH Nutritional Research, Staalstraat 29c, 3572 RG Utrecht,
Netherlands.
E-mail:
a.l.tenhoeve@alhnutrition.nl.
Tel: +31(0)84-430 5664. Fax: +31(0)84-726 1704.
Accepted 11 January, 2011 |
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The use of dietary supplements is increasingly common in the
United States and Europe.
Dietitians are among the health care professionals regarded
as experts on healthy diet and lifestyle and as such, their
recommendations and beliefs regarding dietary supplements
may have a significant influence on the use of dietary
supplements by consumers. Recommending practices, personal
use and beliefs were evaluated in this cross-sectional pilot
study. 64%
reported using dietary supplements, sometimes, often or very
often, themselves for prevention of a health condition, 60%
for treatment of a health condition and 44% for enhancing
physical or mental performance.
71% indicated recommending supplements sometimes, often or
very often for prevention, 82% for treatment of a health
condition and 43% for enhancement of performance. Dietary
supplements were considered at least moderately safe by 94%
of the participating dietitians, while 75% of the dietitians
considered dietary supplements at least moderately effective
in preventing a health condition, 91% for treatment of a
health condition and 59% for performance enhancement.
Key words: Dietary supplements, dietitians, CAM therapy,
mineral supplements. |
