Behaviors underlying the use of nonvitamin nonmineral dietary supplements in a healthy elderly cohort.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine factors underlying the decision to use nonvitamin, nonmineral (NVNM) dietary supplements in a healthy elderly cohort. DESIGN: Questionnaires were administered to probe for perceived health status, health insurance coverage, income level, monthly expenditure for supplements, duration of supplement use, information source, disclosure of supplement taking to physician, reasons for NVNM supplements use and perceived benefits, use of supplements to replace or complement a medication, and usual purchasing place. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Between 1999- 2001, 418 elderly males (34.7%) and females (65.3%) ages 60-96 years were surveyed. RESULTS: Nonvitamin nonmineral supplement "consumers" and "non-consumers" were not significantly different for sex, age, ethnicity, perceived health status, income level, and health insurance access. The average consumer took three NVNM supplements and spent significantly more money on supplements than non-consumers (p < 0.001). Over 44% of consumer's responses indicated that they had been using NVNM supplements for over 2 years. Literature/media were predominately the source of information with mail order being the most frequent method of purchase. Over 39% of consumer's responses showed that supplement use was revealed to a physician. Arthritis, memory improvement, and general health and well-being were the main reasons to use NVNM supplements. Less joint pain/improved mobility was the main perceived improvement from taking NVNM supplements. Overall, over 53% of consumer's responses showed that no change was noticed from taking NVNM supplements. CONCLUSIONS: Although the most commonly reported responses by those noticing change from NVNM supplement use were improved mobility and less joint pain, over half of the responses indicated that they did not feel any benefit from taking supplements, yet continued to purchase and take them. Communication of NVNM supplement use to their physician was low. More studies are needed to investigate what influences the decision to continue supplement use regardless of the lack of efficacy, considerable cost, and potential risks.

Helping elderly participants keep 3-day diet records in the New Mexico Aging Process Study.

Although verbal and written instructions on how to record dietary intake are commonly used in research, little information has been published describing instructional methods or materials. In the New Mexico Aging Process Study, a longitudinal study of nutrition and aging, participants keep a 3-day diet record each year. Classroom instruction and written materials are used in the study, and they were updated for use with Food Intake Analysis System (FIAS), version 2.3. This article describes the instructional methods and materials used to prepare elderly participants to keep accurate diet records; reports the development of a novel instructional tool, the food description flowcharts; and presents participants' opinions of the quality of the instruction and the usefulness of written materials. Included in the written materials were general instructions for recording food intake, examples of completed food intake and recipe forms, hints for eating out, and instructions for easy-to-use electronic scales. The flowcharts guide participants in accurately describing food intake while matching the coding requirements of FIAS. Fifty participants completed a written survey to evaluate the instructions and written materials. More than half of the respondents found the written materials to be very useful. All found the verbal instruction to be excellent or good. Nutritionists observed that records kept by participants who attended the class were generally complete and specific. The findings indicate that participants were satisfied with the instructions and written materials.