Rimantas Stukas, Valerij Dobrovolskij, Ramunė Žilinskienė, Ieva Lukošiūtė
Abstract
Physically active students are a special group of young people, which is characterized by greater attention for their health status, increased physical activity, increased daily rhythm of life, thus the correct diet and appropriate use of dietary supplements is extremely important.
Overall aim of study was to analyze food supplements usage among physically active students. Study object and methods – crosssectional study, a random sample. Data was collected using a questionnaire survey method. The study included 426 students visiting Vilnius University Health and Sport Centre activities, and for the analysis there were collected 409 questionnaires. Obtained data was analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software. Qualitative differences in the reliability of the data set in accordance with χ2 test. The statistical significance level of p <0.05. Food supplements were used by 41.1% of physically active students (by the 46.6% female and 31.3% male). The main reasons why students are taking food supplements were: prevention, the overall body and immune system strengthening (30.1%), vitamins and minerals to compensate shortage of food (20.3%). Most of the students (21.8%) choose complex vitamins and minerals products.
Food supplements choices criteria: product quality (31.9%), complements the optimal price (24%), and individual needs (23.4%). Even in nutrition without meat 68.8% of respondents used food additives. Food supplements were more likely to identify their health as “not good” retaining the group of respondents – 70% of res-pondents, while “very good” group, evaluating the food supplements used only 29.1% of the respondents. Food supplements are often used by students who are often exposed to stress (48.6%) and exposed to stress on a daily basis (50.0%).The respondents more active in sports are more likely to use supplements every day (44.7%) than physically more passive students (40.6%), but the difference is not statistically significant. 47.7% of respondents indicated that the dietary supplements is difficult to afford.
Article in Lithuanian
doi:10.5200/sm-hs.2012.030
Keyword(s): food supplements, physically active students
DOI: 10.5200/271
Full Text: PDF