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Research: MESSERER and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 70
Abstract
MESSERER and colleagues, Department of Medical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, maria.messerer@mep.ki.se, used meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence and trends in dietary supplement and natural remedy use in Sweden during the 1980s and 1990s.
Background
Methodology
The authors analysed three nationally representative, cross- sectional surveys conducted in Sweden in 1980-81, 1988-89 and 1996-97. In face-to-face interviews, 38,954 participants aged 16-84 years (14,642 in 1980-81, 12,391 in 1988-89 and 11,561 in 1996-97) reported consumption of dietary supplements and natural remedies during the previous 2 weeks. The main outcome measures were changes in prevalence of dietary supplement and natural remedy users between 1980 and 1997.
Results
A 70% increase in the prevalence of dietary supplement users was found, occurring mainly between 1988-89 and 1996-97 (men: odds ratio (OR), 1.7; women: OR, 1.7). The increase in the prevalence of natural remedy users was even more dramatic: more than 3 fold in men (OR, 3.3) and almost 3 fold in women (OR, 2.6); and the systematic increase started in the 1980s. The increase occurred in all age groups and all socioeconomic groups except farmers. In 1996-97, the prevalence of dietary supplement users was 22% for men and 33% for women, and of natural supplement users, was 7% and 14% respectively.
Conclusion
The use of dietary supplements and natural remedies by the adult Swedish population has increased dramatically over the last 2 decades.
References
Messerer M et al. Use of dietary supplements and natural remedies increased dramatically during the 1990s. Journal of Internal Medicine 250 (2): 160-6. Aug 2001.
Comment
It is very encouraging to read that Swedish consumers, as well as most other consumers, I suspect, are intelligent enough to take supplements to ensure that they are not deficient in nutrients, rather than listening to the scaremongering negative rants – that supplements are a total waster of money – from the pharmaceutical industry and medical profession.
