Summary of key findings

Warning View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

Socio-economic status and vitamin/mineral supplement use in Canada

Publication: Health Reports 2010:21(4) www.statcan.gc.ca/healthreports

Authors: Hassanali Vatanparast, Jennifer L. Adolphe and Susan J. Whiting

Data: 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey – Nutrition

The link between diet quality and socio-economic status (SES) may extend to the use of vitamin/mineral supplements. This article examines factors related to Canadians' use of such supplements, with emphasis on associations with household income and education.

Supplement use by age and sex

Age was closely related to vitamin/mineral supplement use. Around 40% of children aged 1 to 8 took supplements. The percentage declined to less than 30% at ages 14 to 18 and then rose steadily to about 60% among women and 40% among men aged 51 or older.

Overall, the prevalence of vitamin/mineral supplement use was significantly higher among females than males: 47% versus 34%. The greatest gap was at ages 51 to 70.

Supplement use by income and education

Supplement use was generally more common among people in higher- than lower-income households. Supplement use also tended to rise with level of education.

Even when the effects of the othervariables were taken into account, theodds that people in the highest incomehouseholds would take supplements were1.6 times those of people in the lowestincome households, and people with atleast secondary graduation had 1.4 timesthe odds of taking supplements, comparedwith those who had not graduatedfrom secondary school

Full article

For more information about this article, contact Hassanali Vatanparast (1-306-966-6341; vatan.h@usask.ca), College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan.