title: Health behaviors associated with use of body building, weight loss, and performance enhancing supplements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify health-related behaviors associated with potentially harmful dietary supplements (DS) - body building (BB), weight loss (WL) and performance enhancing (PE), explore common reasons and sources of information for DS use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the 2005 Survey of 16,146 U.S. military personnel, BB users were dichotomized as yes (regular use - taking any supplement of BB at least once a week in past 12 months) or no; similarly defined for WL and PE. Weighted logistic regression models are used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BB, WL and PE were used by 19.4%, 17.0%, and 8.0% of participants, respectively. Significantly more users were overweight or obese: BMI ≥25 (vs. BMI<25); heavy drinkers (vs. abstainers); and users of taking steroids in their lifetime (vs. not). Most common reasons of BB, WL, and PE users wanted to increase muscle mass, lose weight, and improve physical performance (BB: 45.8%, WL: 54.8%, PE: 38.5%). Fewer than 30% discussed dietary supplements use with their healthcare providers. The leading source of dietary supplements information (BB: 27.8%, WL: 23.6%, PE: 30.0%) was magazines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dietary supplements: BB, WL and PE were used by significant proportions of service members, and associated with risk-taking behaviors that may affect overall military readiness and public health.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, USA. tkao@usuhs.mil
authors.forename: Tzu-Cheg
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Deuster
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stephens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001823:Body Composition; D003625:Data Collection; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D050177:Overweight; D055070:Resistance Training; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014481:United States; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents