Use of dietary supplements and natural remedies increased dramatically during the 1990s

Abstract

Messerer M, Johansson S‐E, Wolk A (Karolinska Institutet and Statistics Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden). Use of dietary supplements and natural remedies increased dramatically during the 1990s. J Intern Med 2001; 250: 160–166. Objectives. To estimate the prevalence and trends in dietary supplement and natural remedy use in Sweden during the 1980s and 1990s. Design. Three nationally representative, cross‐sectional surveys conducted in 1980–81, 1988–89 and 1996–97 were used for analysis. In face‐to‐face interviews participants reported consumption of dietary supplements and natural remedies during the previous 2 weeks. Setting. Sweden. Subjects. The samples consisted totally of 38 594 adults aged 16–84 years (14 642 in the 1980–81 survey, 12 391 in the 1988–89 survey and 11 561 in the 1996–97 survey). Main outcome measures. Changes in prevalence of dietary supplement and natural remedy users between 1980 and 1997. Results. The 70% increase in the prevalence of dietary supplement users amongst both men and women [odds ratio (OR), 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.6–1.9, OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5–1.8, respectively] occurred mainly between 1988–89 and 1996–97. The increase in the prevalence of natural remedy users was even more dramatic – more than threefold in men (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.9–4.0) and almost threefold in women (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.3–2.9) – and the systematic increase started already in the 1980s. The increase was observed in all age groups and in all socio‐economic groups, except for farmers. In 1996–97 the prevalence of dietary supplement users was 22% amongst men and 33% amongst women, and of natural remedies 7 and 14%, respectively. Conclusions. During the last two decades, the use of dietary supplements and natural remedies amongst the adult Swedish population has dramatically increased.