ArticlePloS one2018
Habits and beliefs related to food supplements: Results of a survey among Italian students of different education fields and levels.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers.
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Who cites it
51 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prevalence and Correlates of Dietary Supplement Use Among Italian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nutrients · 2026Article
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- Investigation of the effects of acrylamide on tendon healing in rats.Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica · 2026Article
- Food Supplements and Well-Being: A Pilot Investigation in the General Practitioner Office of the Veneto Region.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Article
- Article
- An examination of performance enhancement attitudes and belief levels regarding sports supplements among students receiving education on ergogenic aids and anti-doping practices.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Exploring Factors Associated with Health Status and Dietary Supplement Use Among Portuguese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Exploring motivations, information behavior, perceptions, and intentions among dietary supplement users: a cross-sectional survey study in Germany.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Exploring the Dietary Supplement Use During COVID-19: Insights from Community Pharmacists, Pharmacy Staff, Academics, and Industry Experts.Journal of integrative and complementary medicine · 2024Article
- Knowledge and Practices Regarding Dietary Supplements Among Healthcare Professionals in Poland.Nutrients · 2024Article
- Exploring GP and patient attitudes towards the use and deprescribing of dietary supplements: a survey study in Switzerland.BMC primary care · 2024Article
- Analysis of Actual Fitness Supplement Consumption among Health and Fitness Enthusiasts.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Article
- Evaluating knowledge, habits, and beliefs regarding dietary supplements as a protective measure against COVID-19 in Malaysia and Iraq: A postsecond wave cross-sectional analysis.Health science reports · 2024Article
- Collagen Hydrolysates: A Source of Bioactive Peptides Derived from Food Sources for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis.Medicines (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Motivational Drivers behind the Consumption of Dietary Supplements by Leisure-Time Athletes.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Microbial Secondary Metabolites via Fermentation Approaches for Dietary Supplementation Formulations.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Prevalence, correlates and common conditions associated with adolescent dietary supplement use: a cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh.Public health nutrition · 2023Article
- Prevalence, Determinants, and Consumer Stance towards Dietary Supplements According to Sex in a Large Greek Sample: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nutrients · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The increasing availability of food supplements, aggressive media advertising, and common beliefs that these substances have only positive effects on health and sport performance indicate a need for continuous monitoring of this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate the habits and beliefs related to diet supplementation among medical, health professional, and other university/high school students by means of a cross-sectional anonymous survey online. Among the respondents aware of supplements, 37.4% were taking or had taken them in the past. Food supplement use was more common among university students (in particular, those in health professional graduate courses) than high school students. Individual sport practice, rather than team sport, was associated with higher likelihood of food supplement use. Multivitamins were most commonly used, while weight-loss formulations were the least popular. Strikingly, filling nutrient gaps was statistically not considered the main reason for taking food supplements. Instead, they were used to enhance mental performance or enhance well-being. There was statistical evidence that students not enrolled in health or medical professional studies strongly agreed more often than medical students that taking food supplements prevents illness. These results indicate a striking difference between the evidence-based and personal reasons for food supplement use. Arguably, it calls for an improvement in education about diet supplementation and a change in attitude of health care providers to its implementation.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.