Assessment of dietary supplement consumption among Italian university students. The multicenter disco study

Objective: To analyze the consumption of dietary supplements (DSs) and related sociodemographic characteristics or behaviors among Italian undergraduates. Research Methods & Procedures: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was carried out between October 2021 and May 2022 involving undergraduates from twelve public universities. The use of DSs in the previous six months, the aim and the reason for use, the purchasing channel and related adverse effects were explored and compared by gender. A logistic regression was performed to highlight possible associations between sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioral characteristics of participants and supplement consumption. Results: The use of DSs was reported by 71.5% of the 2,165 respondents. Supplementation was related with greater age (OR 1.266, CI95% 0.965-1.660), gender (OR 1.266, CI95% 0.965-1.660 for males), particular diet regimens (OR 3.559, CI95% 1.247-10.159), sport (OR 1.713, CI95% 1.138-2.581) and type of sport (0.608, CI95% 0.411-0.899 for team sports). Women were more keen to use DSs following a doctor’s prescription and to buy them in a pharmacy (p<0.001) but reported more adverse effects (p=0.018) than men. The main aim pursued was general health; proteins, amino acids and non-caffeinated energy supplements were consumed to improve physical performance, and caffeinated energy supplements for mental performance. Conclusions: Diet supplementation was common in the sample examined, especially among females, and associated with particular dietary regimens and sport, especially individual sports. Female consumers follow specialists’ indications more than males. These results highlight the need of educational interventions about diet supplementation for this category of users.