Dietary supplement intake and its relationship to the occurrence of cancer and hypertension in a cohort of University of North Carolina alumni
Abstract
Studies have shown there may be an association between supplement intake and the development of cancer and hypertension. The current study assessed the dietary supplement intake of a cohort of alumni of the University of North Carolina. The association of dietary supplement intake and demographic variables and disease outcome (cancer and hypertension) was also assessed. All data was collected using mailed questionnaires. A total of 3455 individuals were included in the analysis. For this population, females used more supplements and higher doses than males. Demographic and health variable distributions were different for males and females. In males univariate analysis of vitamin intake and disease outcome were significant only for cancer. In females univariate analysis was not significant. Significant results were found among females for the association of income and cancer and for income and age for hypertension. In males significant results were seen for the association of cancer and age. Hypertension was associated with income and age. For males cancer was associated with age and vitamin C intake and hypertension was associated with supplement use, education, state of residence, and the interaction term of education and state of residence. The study revealed that certain relationships are constant over populations, but that more study is needed to clarify the association of supplement use and disease outcome. Studies assessing the intake of vitamins or minerals and disease outcome should include information on dietary supplement use.
Subject Area
Public health|Nutrition|Oncology
Recommended Citation
Debrot, Karen Florence, "Dietary supplement intake and its relationship to the occurrence of cancer and hypertension in a cohort of University of North Carolina alumni" (1996). Texas Medical Center Dissertations (via ProQuest). AAI1380953.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dissertations/AAI1380953