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Title: DO ADOLESCENT VITAMIN-MINERAL SUPPLEMENT USERS HAVE BETTER NUTRIENT INTAKES THAN NONUSERS? OBSERVATIONS FROM THE CATCH TRACKING STUDY

Author
item DWYER, JOHANNA - NEW ENGLAND MED CENTER
item GARCEAU, ANNE - WESTAT
item EVANS, MARGUERITE - NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
item LI, DONGLIN - NEW ENGLAND MED CENTER
item LYTLE, LESLIE - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item HOELSCHER, DEANNA - UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
item Nicklas, Theresa
item ZIVE, MICHELLE - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Submitted to: Journal Of The American Dietetic Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2001
Publication Date: 11/20/2001
Citation: Dwyer,J.T., Garcea,A.O., Evans,M., Li,D., Lytle,L., Hoelscher,D., Nicklas,T.A., Zive,M. 2001. Do adolescent vitamin-mineral supplement users have better nutrient intakes than nonusers? Observations from the CATCH tracking study. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 101(11):1340-1346.

Interpretive Summary: Valid and reliable estimates of adolescent food and supplement intakes are needed for the monitoring and documentation of micronutrient adequacy and excess. The goal of this study was to describe whether users of vitamin-mineral supplements differed from nonusers in micronutrient intakes or in nutrition awareness. One thousand five hundred thirty-two students now in grade 8, participated in the Third Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health tracking study and also provided a single 24-hour dietary recall. Mixed-model analysis of covariance was used to ascertain if supplement users had higher vitamin and mineral intakes from food sources, and to examine if supplement users had better nutrition awareness than nonusers. The 24-hour recall showed that 17.6% of the students reported using vitamin-mineral supplements. Users reported a mean of 1.4 supplements, of which 47% were multivitamin or multimineral preparations, 37% were single nutrients, and 16% were combinations. White persons and residents of Minnesota and California were more likely to be supplement users. Users had higher micronutrient intakes from food sources for 16 of the 20 nutrients studied after adjusting for gender, race/ethnicity, site, treatment condition, and within-school variability. Users had higher scores on a health behavior survey for food choice and slightly but not significantly higher nutrition knowledge scores. Vitamin-mineral supplement use is prevalent among eighth-grade students. Users have higher nutrient intakes from foods, higher total intakes for several micronutrients, higher nutrition awareness, and differ in their demographic characteristics from nonusers.

Technical Abstract: Valid and reliable estimates of adolescent food and supplement intakes are needed for the monitoring and documentation of micronutrient adequacy and excess. The goal of this study was to describe whether users of vitamin-mineral supplements differed from nonusers in micronutrient intakes or in nutrition awareness. One thousand five hundred thirty-two students now in grade 8, participated in the Third Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health tracking study and also provided a single 24-hour dietary recall. Mixed-model analysis of covariance was used to ascertain if supplement users had higher vitamin and mineral intakes from food sources, and to examine if supplement users had better nutrition awareness than nonusers. The 24-hour recall showed that 17.6% of the students reported using vitamin-mineral supplements. Users reported a mean of 1.4 supplements, of which 47% were multivitamin or multimineral preparations, 37% were single nutrients, and 16% were combinations. White persons and residents of Minnesota and California were more likely to be supplement users. Users had higher micronutrient intakes from food sources for 16 of the 20 nutrients studied after adjusting for gender, race/ethnicity, site, treatment condition, and within-school variability. Users had higher scores on a health behavior survey for food choice and slightly but not significantly higher nutrition knowledge scores. Vitamin-mineral supplement use is prevalent among eighth-grade students. Users have higher nutrient intakes from foods, higher total intakes for several micronutrients, higher nutrition awareness, and differ in their demographic characteristics from nonusers.