continuing professional development activity for dietitians

SAJCN CPD activity No 31 - April 2005

"Dietary supplement use and associated factors among university students"

CPD Ref number: DT 05/3/020/12

ANSWER SHEET (Answers appear in BOLD)

1. According to South African law dietary supplements are defined as products that contain vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and botanicals intended to be consumed for the nutritional value thereof.
   1. True
   2. False
2. International research indicates that despite the emphasis of health authorities on obtaining nutrients from food sources, the use of dietary supplements seems to be on the increase.
   1. True
   2. False
3. According to international data the following is true for supplement users:
   1. There is no gender differences in supplement use
   2. Users are younger, well educated and generally seem to be less healthy
   3. Users are Caucasian, older, have high income levels are active and do not smoke
   4. Not one of the above is true
4. The sample used in this study was randomly selected.
   1. True
   2. False
5. The methodology of this research involved the following:
   1. A self-completion questionnaire on supplement use
   2. Dietary intake assessment
   3. [a] and [b] above
   4. not one of the above
6. To assess the relationship between supplement use and demographic, health and lifestyle related variables cross tabulations were constructed and the Pearson Chi-square test or Fischer’s Exact Test was used to test for significant differences in group profiles.
   1. True
   2. False
7. Consistent with the findings of other researchers, age, race, study direction and year as well as physical activity levels of the participants in this study were not related to supplement use.
   1. True
   2. False
8. The main reasons given by non-supplement users in this study for not using supplements included the following:
   1. not necessary, no reason, don’t know, adequate diet
   2. reasons mentioned in [a] + side-effects
   3. reasons mentioned in [b] + not healthy to use supplements
   4. not one of the above options
9. The most popular dietary supplements used by the regular supplement users include multivitamin/mineral combinations, vitamin C and Spirulina.
   1. True
   2. False
10. For the participants in this study the following were the most important sources of information about specific supplements:
    1. advertisements and the television
    2. doctors and other health professionals
    3. friends and family
    4. all the abovementioned
11. A clear relationship between health status and dietary adequacy and regularity of supplement use was found in this study.
    1. True
    2. False
12. Supplement advertising/marketing strategies such as “the soil is depleted” are reflected in the reasons given by participants for the need to use supplements.
    1. True
    2. False