A recent study (Dickenson et al, Nutrition Journal, doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-11-14, 2012) surveyed 300 dietitians whose business involved seeing clients in private practice or at a clinic.
74% of the dietitians surveyed said that they used dietary supplements on a regular basis, and another 22% said that they used dietary supplements on an occasional or seasonal basis.
The most frequently used supplements (used by 40% or more) were multivitamins, calcium, omega-3/fish oil and vitamin D. Vitamin C, probiotics, B vitamins and fiber supplements were also used by more than 20% of the dietitians surveyed.
The most frequent reasons given by dietitians for recommending supplements were bone health (70%), filling nutrition gaps (67%), overall health and wellness benefits (49%), lowering cholesterol (46%), heart health (46%), dietary pattern - specifically vegetarian or vegan (43%), digestive health (39%), diabetes or glucose control (27%) and eating disorders (19%).
It is also important to recognize that most of a dietitian's formal education focuses on foods and design of diets for various clinical conditions. Most dietitians receive relatively little formal education on supplementation.
So it should come as no surprise that 95% of the dietitians surveyed said that they would like to receive more formal education on supplementation - particularly in the areas of drug-supplement interactions, basics of dietary supplementation (including variation in product quality and how supplements are regulated), how to counsel their clients about dietary supplements, weight management, women's health, men's health and sports nutrition.*
If you know a dietitian, who is looking to learn about high quality supplements so they may confidently recommend supplements to their patients, contact Mary Beth at 810-813-3308 or marybeth@mamabearproductions.net.
*Information provided by Dr.Stephen Chaney.
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