Which Types of Dietary Supplements Are Used in Korea? Data from the 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Article information

Korean J Health Promot. 2018;18(3):107-112

Publication date (electronic) : 2018 January 10

doi : https://doi.org/10.15384/kjhp.2018.18.3.107

Department of Family Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, University of Inje College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

￭ Corresponding author: Hyun Ah Park, DM, MPH, PhD Department of Family Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, University of Inje College of Medicine, 9 Mareunnae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul 04551, Korea Tel: +82-2-2270-0097, Fax: +82-2-2270-0902 E-mail: drparkhyunah@gmail.com

Received 2018 August 08; Accepted 2018 September 25.

Abstract

Background

The consumption of dietary supplements is increasing in Korea. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence, types, and trends of dietary supplement (DS) use in Korean adults.

Methods

We analyzed the Nutrition Survey data of Korean aged 19 years old or older from the 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Two thousand and six hundred twenty one men and 3,324 women totaling 5,945 adults were included. The prevalence of DS use was calculated by two methods, i.e., consumption experience of more than two weeks during previous one year and current consumption. Each reported DS in the one day 24 hour recall was coded based on ingredients according to the 2016 Korean Food and Drug Administration Notification.

Results

The prevalence (standard error) of current DS use was 18.4% (1.2) for men, 27.4% (1.1) for women. Those with DS use for longer than two weeks during previous one year were 35.2% (1.5), and 50.4% (1.2), for men and women respectively. Multivitamin mineral supplement (89.6/10³ persons) was the most frequently consumed DS in Korean adults followed by vitamin C (66.2/10³ persons), omega 3 fatty acid (49.5/10³ persons), Panax ginseng (27.3/10³ persons), and probiotics (22.2/10³ persons) in listing.

Conclusions

The trend for DS use in Korean adults is changing as well as increasing. These factors should be considered in patient care.

Keywords: Dietary supplements; Vitamins; Minerals; Fatty acids; Omega-3; Panax ginseng; Probiotics

Figure 1.

Prevalence of dietary supplements use in Korean adults according to sex and age.^a

Figure 2.

The number of dietary supplements used in Korean adults according to sex and age.^a

Table 1.

Prevalence (per 1,000 persons) of dietary supplements usage categories by Korean adults in 2005 and 2015^a

Table 2.

Prevalence (per 1,000 persons) of dietary supplements usage categories by Korean adults by sex and age groups^a

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