Consumption of dietary supplements to support weight reduction in adults according to sociodemographic background, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, body fat and physical activity

Assessing the use of prescription drugs and dietary supplements in obese respondents in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Introduction

Obesity is a common disease and a known risk factor for many other conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Treatment options for obesity include lifestyle changes, pharmacotherapy, and surgical interventions such as bariatric surgery. In this study, we examine the use of prescription drugs and dietary supplements by the individuals with obesity.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data 2003–2018. We used multivariate logistic regression to analyze the correlations of demographics and obesity status with the use of prescription drugs and dietary supplement use. We also built machine learning models to classify prescription drug and dietary supplement use using demographic data and obesity status.

Results

Individuals with obesity are more likely to take cardiovascular agents (OR = 2.095, 95% CI 1.989–2.207) and metabolic agents (OR = 1.658, 95% CI 1.573–1.748) than individuals without obesity. Gender, age, race, poverty income ratio, and insurance status are significantly correlated with dietary supplement use. The best performing model for classifying prescription drug use had the accuracy of 74.3% and the AUROC of 0.82. The best performing model for classifying dietary supplement use had the accuracy of 65.3% and the AUROC of 0.71.

Conclusions

This study can inform clinical practice and patient education of the use of prescription drugs and dietary supplements and their correlation with obesity.

Effect of Metaswitch® dietary supplement on anthropometric parameters, serum lipids, glucose level, oxidative stress and in vivo antioxidant properties in high fat diet-induced overweight Sprague Dawley rats

PURPOSE

Obesity and overweight are metabolic disorders associated with oxidative stress, and risk factors for many chronic diseases. We sought to investigate the effects of Metaswitch dietary supplement on weight gain and associated acute metabolic alterations in a high-fat diet-induced overweight rat model.

METHODS

Female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were put into 6 groups. Control groups were fed normal (NCD) or high-fat diet (HFD). Treatment groups on HFD receieved 3 different daily doses of Metaswitch for 3 weeks. Another group on HFD received Slimrite® (phenylpropanolamine), a standard drug. Rats on HFD also received cyproheptadine to stimulate appetite. Food consumption and anthropometric parameters were determined weekly. Serum lipids, glucose level, hepatic lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant activity were used to assess overweight in rats.

RESULTS

Food intake remained relatively constant among groups. Rats on HFD had significantly increased body weight compared to rats fed NCD. Metaswitch significantly prevented weight gain; this effect was greater or similar to rats administered Slimrite, but was not dose-dependant. No significant changes occurred in the levels of serum lipids and glucose among the groups. However, serum triglyceride (TG) was significantly increased. The TG/HDL-C ratio revealed significant metabolic alterations which was prevented by Metaswitch. Catalase activity was significantly decreased in the HFD untreated group but was restored in Metaswitch-treated groups.

CONCLUSIONS

A 3-week HFD regimen with cyproheptadine supplementation in female SD rats resulted in a significant increase in body weight and acute metabolic alterations. The aforementioned changes were found to have been prevented with the administration of Metaswitch.

Analysis of Dietary Supplement Use and Influencing Factors in the Mongolian Population

Objective

Dietary supplements (DS) may improve micronutrient deficiencies, but the unique eating habits and cultural customs of the Chinese Mongolian population affect their choice of DS. Therefore, this study adopted a cross-sectional method to explore the current status of DS use and to assess the influencing factors in the Mongolian population in Inner Mongolia, China.

Methods

We used a multistage random cluster sampling method to select 1,434 Mongolian people aged ≥ 18 years in Hohhot and Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia. Data regarding general patient characteristics and DS use through questionnaire surveys were obtained, and the blood plasma was collected for biochemical index detection. The binary logistic regression and decision tree algorithm were used to predict the factors influencing DS use among the Mongolian population.

Results

Among 1,434 participants that completed the baseline survey, the usage rate of DS was 18.83%, and more women than men used DS (P = 0.017). Higher use of DS was reported among individuals aged ≤ 34 years, but this difference is not statistically significant (P = 0.052). Usage rate was higher among those living in urban areas (P < 0.001), those with higher education (P < 0.001), those engaged in mental work (P < 0.001), and nonsmokers (P = 0.019). The biochemical test results showed that the proportion of people with abnormal total cholesterol levels using DS was lower (P = 0.003), but that of those with abnormal triglyceride levels using DS was higher (P = 0.001), compared with the proportion of those with normal levels in each case. The most commonly used supplement was calcium (58.15%). Education level was the main factor affecting DS intake. The results of the binary logistic regression model and decision tree model both showed that region, educational level, and abnormal triglyceride levels were significant factors influencing DS intake among Mongolians.

Conclusion

Findings from this study indicate that DS intake is uncommon in the Mongolian population. In addition, sex, region, education level, and triglyceride levels may influence DS use.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise Concurrent with Caffeine Supplementation on Weight and Body Fat Among Overweight Women

Background: Obesity and overweight are among serious global epidemics that significantly threaten human health, especially among women. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the concurrent effects of 6-week caffeine supplementation with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on weight and body fat among overweight women. Methods: Thirty overweight females (age: 36.47 ± 6.48 years; BMI: 27.61 ± 1.54 kg/m2; mean ± SD) with a sedentary lifestyle were recruited to the study. The participants were randomly allocated to the experimental group, EC (exercise + caffeine) group, who took 100 milligrams of caffeine of the “API” brand supplement 30 minutes before exercise training (n = 15) or control group, EP (exercise + placebo) (n = 15). All participants performed moderate-intensity aerobic exercise with an intensity of 40 to 60% of heart rate reserve based on the individual's exercise test for 30 minutes, three days a week for six weeks. Measurements, including the percentage of body fat, waist circumference, and skinfold (suprailiac, abdominal), were done two times, at baseline and after six weeks of exercising. Results: There were no significant differences between control and experimental groups related to weight (P = 0.22), percentage body fat (P = 0.88), and other measurements after six weeks. Conclusions: 6 weeks of caffeine supplementation combined with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise without dietary interventions couldn’t make a significant reduction in weight and central or total body fat among overweight women.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Body Weight Status and Energy Intake among Users and Non-Users of Dietary Supplements among Government Employees in Putrajaya, Malaysia

The use of dietary supplements is prevalent among many groups worldwide. However, few studies have examined their use among government employees. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the association among sociodemographic characteristics, body weight status, and energy intake with dietary supplement use among government employees in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 460 government employees from six ministries in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The data used in this study were collected through anthropometric measurements (height, weight, % body fat, waist and hip circumferences), a self-administered questionnaire (sociodemographic characteristics and dietary supplements use), and an interviewer-administered questionnaire (24-hour dietary recall; fruit and vegetable intake). The results indicated that the prevalence of dietary supplement use was 55.4%, with vitamin C (38.4%) being the most popular type of dietary supplement. Health issues (80.8%) were the most common reason for usage, internet (59.2%) was the main source of information, and pharmacies (71.8%) were the most indicated places to purchase dietary supplements. A multivariate analysis showed that participants who were female, married, had better monthly income, lived within a smaller household size, had a normal body mass index, classified as having unhealthily high body fat percentage, did not skip breakfast, and consumed at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day were significantly more likely to use dietary supplements. In conclusion, health-conscious groups were more prone to consume dietary supplements, and due to the high prevalence of dietary supplement use, dissemination of accurate scientific information regarding dietary supplements is highly recommended among government employees.