title: Assessment of nutrient adequacy with supplement use in a sample of healthy college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Limited information is available on the nutritional status and the impact of supplements on nutrient adequacy in college students. This study aimed to assess nutritional status and evaluate the contribution of supplement use to overall nutrient adequacy in a sample of healthy college students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty subjects (40 women and 20 men) were randomly recruited from those attending the University of Connecticut. Food records were collected over 30 consecutive days for each subject. In addition, health and lifestyle information was collected at the beginning and end of the study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After excluding misreporting, only 44 subjects were eligible for assessing nutritional status. More than 40% of female students had intakes below the estimated average requirements for vitamins D and E, calcium, and magnesium. Supplement users had significantly higher average intakes than nonusers from dietary sources for protein, folate, niacin, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc (p < 0.05). With the addition of supplements, supplement users consumed significantly more for all nutrient intakes except vitamin A than nonusers (p < 0.05). Nutritional adequacy of supplement users was significantly higher for vitamins D and E and magnesium compared with nonusers (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, men and women were consuming intakes below adequacy for most nutrients, and supplement usage increased nutrient intake and adequacy levels in this young adult population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-4017, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine Davis
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ouellette
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Maria Luz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Ock K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Chun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009525:Niacin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013334:Students; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014801:Vitamin A; D014807:Vitamin D; D014810:Vitamin E; D009525:Niacin; D005492:Folic Acid; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc