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Dietary Supplements and College Students: Use, Knowledge, and Perception

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2018, MS, Kent State University, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences.
This study examined the use, knowledge, and perception of dietary supplements of college students (n=231). This cross-sectional, retrospective, comparative study was part of a larger study examining data from students enrolled in a general sophomore-level nutrition course during the spring semester of 2017. Data examined for the current study included demographic and dietary supplement questionnaires. The demographic survey asked students their age, class standing, gender, ethnicity, field of study, and grade point average. Students were also asked about dietary supplement use and provided pictures of product labels and ingredients of supplements taken by them at the time the survey was completed. Users and non-users of dietary supplements answered questions regarding their knowledge of products including regulation, proven effectiveness, and safety. Perception of dietary supplements was assessed by asking users and non-users how strongly they agreed with statements regarding product effectiveness, safety, and sources of information. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic information and sources of dietary supplement information. Independent-t-tests were used to test for significant differences with dietary supplement knowledge and perception responses for users and non-users. Chi-square (¿2) tests of independence and Fisher’s exact tests were used to test for significant differences between gender and the type of dietary supplement product used. Nearly one-half (47.6%) of students reported consuming dietary supplements. The majority of students in this sample were female, Caucasian, and in their freshman year of college. Students’ use of MVM single nutrient, herbal, weight loss, fish oil, fiber, and other did not significantly differ by gender. Protein supplement use in males, however, was significantly higher than in females (p<0.05). Overall, users and non-users correctly responded to less than half of the knowledge questions with no significant difference between the two groups. Perception of dietary supplements for users and non-users was neutral with no significant difference between the two groups.
Eun-Jeong Ha (Advisor)
Natalie Caine-Bish (Committee Member)
Karen Lowry-Gordon (Committee Member)
120 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Homan, E. M. (2018). Dietary Supplements and College Students: Use, Knowledge, and Perception [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1532083809853366

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Homan, Elyse. Dietary Supplements and College Students: Use, Knowledge, and Perception. 2018. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1532083809853366.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Homan, Elyse. "Dietary Supplements and College Students: Use, Knowledge, and Perception." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1532083809853366

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)