Abstract

HENRIQUES, Moisés et al. Dietary suplements use in portuguese navy. Acta Port Nutr [online]. 2019, n.16, pp.30-35. ISSN 2183-5985.  https://doi.org/10.21011/apn.2019.1606.

Introduction: Dietary supplementation can be considered in certain situations. The prevalence of dietary supplements use in the military is high; the Portuguese Navy reality is unknown. Objectives: To calculate the dietary supplements use prevalence in the Portuguese Navy and to characterize this habit. Methodology: Application of a thematic self completion questionnaire and answers collection in January 2018. Sample characterization, dietary supplements use in 2017 and dietary supplements use history prevalences calculation, and characterization of its use. Statistical inference of the sample prevalences for the target population with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) corrected for the population. Results: 844 distinct responses (88.7% men) were obtained. The proportion of Marines is higher in the group with personal history of supplements use. The difference being statistically significant (p<0.05). The estimated prevalence of dietary supplements use in 2017 was 16.7%±2.4% (95% CI) and dietary supplements use history was 31.3%±3% (95% CI). The most commonly used supplements were vitamins (67%) and proteins (60.2%). The main objective of dietary supplements use more often reported was the improvement of physical performance (57.9%); in 27.2% of the cases there was no advice on supplementation. The pharmacy was one of the most used sites of acquisition (38.3%) and most of the respondents (93.2%) felt the desired effect with the supplementation. Conclusions: The prevalence of dietary supplements use found is inferior to those of the national population and of the United States Navy. The characterization of this habit was limited by response rates, but the results are in line with those of national studies. This study constitutes a valid and unprecedented attempt to characterize the habits of dietary supplements use in the Portuguese Navy.

Keywords : Food habit; Military; Dietary supplements.

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