Pattern of dietary supplement consumption among Iranian high school girls and related factors

Introduction: Adolescence is a critical period of life especially in high school girls due to large physical, social, and psychological changes.

Objectives: To assess prevalence and frequency of consumption of dietary supplements among Iranian high school girls and related factors.

Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 638 high school girls in Qom city, Iran in 2017. The girls were selected by multi-stage sampling from 16 high schools. Data were collected using a validated reliable questionnaire that included demographic characteristics and the dietary supplement consumption including ferrous sulphate, folic acid, iron + folic acid, calcium, vitamin E, calcium + vitamin E, zinc, vitamin C, multivitamin and vitamin D. Statistical analysis used SPSS software, Chi square test, independent t-test and multivariate binary logistic regression.

Results:Overall monthly prevalence of dietary supplement consumption was 65.3% (417/639). Consumption for calcium was 43.2%, for vitamin E 39%, vitamin D 36.5% ferrous sulphate 35.2%, calcium plus vitamin E 32.6%, iron plus folic acid25.4%, folic acid 22.4%, multivitamin 20.5%, zinc 17.4% and vitamin D 8%.  The annul prevalence of ferrous sulphate, calcium and vitamin E was 50% higher and the minimum prevalence was in vitamin D and zinc consumption. The regression model showed that income level of family and the SRH score were the most important related factors of dietary supplement consumption.

Conclusions: According to our results, the monthly dietary supplement consumption prevalence in Iranian high school girls is good, but the daily intake of mineral supplement is weak.