Dietary Supplement Consumers Tend to Make Healthier Lifestyle Choices

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When it comes to healthy habits, dietary supplement users appear to make healthier lifestyle choices overall than non-users, according to a recent study by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement industry. This is supported by previous studies[1]-4 that suggest that supplement users may be more health conscious in many respects than those who don't take supplements.

According to the most recent CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, supplement users engage in the following healthy habits in higher percentages than do those who don't take vitamins, minerals and other supplements:

• "I try to eat a balanced diet;" Supplement users, 84%, non-supplement users, 76%
• "I visit my doctor regularly;" Supplement users, 73%, non-supplement users, 62%
• "I regularly get a good night's sleep;" Supplement users, 70%, non-supplement users, 63%
• "I exercise regularly;" Supplement users, 64%, non-supplement users, 54%
• "I maintain a healthy weight;" Supplement users, 63%, non-supplement users, 57%

The study also found that over two-thirds of U.S. adults take dietary supplements, with 69 percent of adults reporting as such. When asked why, 58 percent of supplement users said they took dietary supplements for overall health and wellness; additionally, 42 percent of supplement users said it was to fill in nutrient gaps in their diet.

"Our study suggests that the majority of supplement users tend to be healthy people with positive attitudes about their diets and their overall health. Given the daily challenges so many people face, making smart choices, such as incorporating dietary supplements into an existing wellness routine, can help many people reach their wellness goals and live healthier lives," said Judy Blatman, senior vice president, communications, CRN.

The 2011 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements was conducted August 25-29, 2011 by Ipsos Public Affairs and funded by CRN.  The survey was conducted online and included a national sample of 2,015 adults aged 18 and older from Ipsos' U.S. online panel.  The survey has been conducted annually since 2000. Weighting was employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the U.S. adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.

Note to Editor: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement manufacturers and ingredient suppliers.  In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our 75+ manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as CRN's Code of Ethics. Visit www.crnusa.org.

Ipsos Public Affairs is part of Ipsos, a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals that helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens.  Ipsos offers a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and on-line research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies.

[1]Rock CL. (2007). Multivitamin-multimineral supplements: who uses them? Am J Clin Nutr, 85, 277S-279S.

2 Council for Responsible Nutrition. (2008). Healthy Lifestyle Habits of Supplement Users & Non-Users. Available online: www.crnusa.org. [Accessed August 4th, 2011].

3 Bailey, R.L., Gahche, J.J., Lentino, C.V., Dwyer, J.T., Engel, J.S., Thomas, P.R. et al. (2011). Dietary supplement use in the United States, 2003-2006. Journal of Nutrition, 141, 261-266.

4 Radimer, K., Bindewald, B., Hughes, J., Ervin, B., Swanson, C., & Picciano, M.F. (2004). Dietary supplement use by adults: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2000. American Journal of Epidemiology, 160, 339-349.

SOURCE Council for Responsible Nutrition