Friday, December 16, 2011

The Continual Popularity of Dietary Supplements

A new government report has shown that the number of adults taking dietary supplements, like calcium and multivitamins, has risen considerably over the last 20 years. Between 1994 and 2006, there was a 12% increase in the amount of Americans taking at least one dietary supplement a day. That is according to research conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Statistics like these paint an important picture of American culture, as citizens strive for an easy solution to their weight loss.

The recent increase is likely due to the increase in awareness and educational efforts for dietary needs across the country. The media created a big hype about vitamin D not too long ago, and that led to a significant increase in the sale of vitamin D supplements. Supplement manufacturers have also focused on heavy advertising campaigns recently, which further attributes to an increase in demand for multivitamins and other pills meant for dietary completion. Growth sparked greatly up until 2006, but the demand has leveled off some recently.

According to the study, 30 percent of adults consumed multivitamins in 2003, but that number increased to 39 percent in 2006. 59% of women use dietary supplements on a regular basis, compared to the 49% of men. Among three surveys spanning from 1988 to 2006, women increased their calcium usage from 28% to 61%, but those numbers difference based on age and ethnicity. The numbers may not reflect the numbers prevalent in today's society, but they do showcase some interesting information about life in the US.

The statistics for the use of vitamin D have remained somewhat static over the years in younger groups of people, but they have increased for adults between the ages of 40 and 59. Vitamin D is not easily found in foods, and there was a lot of discussion about it in the media over the years. From the 1999-2002 study to the 2003-2006 study, the amount of adults 60 or older taking vitamin D supplements rose from 49.7% to 69.3%.

While there has been proof that multivitamins can improve health and immunity, there are no real studies to support the need for dietary supplements on a regular basis. Most doctors and nutritionist say that the majority of the nutrients the human body needs comes from the food that a person consumes. Keeping up with a healthy diet will ensure the best possible chances for having a healthy body and strong immune system.

The increase in fad dieting may have contributed to the need for multivitamins and other dietary supplements on the market. People are depriving their bodies of food that contains key nutrients, leaving people with no choice but to turn to a supplement for their needs. A healthy, balanced diet full of all the food groups is actually the ideal approach to this. Nevertheless, more than half of the adult population is on one diet or another throughout the year, so it only makes sense that dietary supplements will remain in high popularity.

Diet supplements do have the potential to work if they are used properly. The problem is that most people do not know how to implement these supplements into their diets without expecting them to do all the work. If you want to potentially take dietary supplements to improve your body, make sure you consult with a doctor about which ones may be right for you. These supplements, combined with a good diet and exercise routine, could get you back into the shape you've always wanted to be in. You can get back to your police officer training in no time.

1 comment:

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