Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study
A cross-sectional survey study was designed to gather information on the use of dietary supplements by Spanish pediatricians. The study questionnaire was completed by 433 pediatricians (62% men, mean age 52.5 years) throughout the country. They also provided data on 10 of their patients (n = 4304) i...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2019-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5819305 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832559209539960832 |
|---|---|
| author | Ignacio Güemes Heras Alicia Santamaría-Orleans José F. Colinas Herrero Pilar Gómez Sorrigueta Luis Ortiz González Raquel de la Iglesia-Arnaez Alejandro Canals Baeza |
| author_facet | Ignacio Güemes Heras Alicia Santamaría-Orleans José F. Colinas Herrero Pilar Gómez Sorrigueta Luis Ortiz González Raquel de la Iglesia-Arnaez Alejandro Canals Baeza |
| author_sort | Ignacio Güemes Heras |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A cross-sectional survey study was designed to gather information on the use of dietary supplements by Spanish pediatricians. The study questionnaire was completed by 433 pediatricians (62% men, mean age 52.5 years) throughout the country. They also provided data on 10 of their patients (n = 4304) in which synbiotics, immune stimulants, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) had been prescribed. Synbiotics were used by 92% of pediatricians, immune stimulants by 80.4%, and omega-3 PUFAs by 75.1%. Synbiotics were mainly used combined with antibiotics (92.6%) and for gastrointestinal disorders (91.2%), immune stimulants to enhance defenses and cold prevention (87.1%), and omega-3 PUFAs to improve symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (84.8%) and concentration (80.1%). Confidence and previous experience with the product (51.6%), composition and indications of the product (43.1%), and tolerability (39.9%) were main factors involved in decision-making. Children treated with omega-3 supplements were significantly older (mean age 7.6 (3.0) years) than those treated with synbiotics (3.9 (3.9) years) or immune stimulants (3.4 (2.8) years) (P<0.001). Short duration of treatment (<1 month) was significantly more common in the synbiotics group (90.5%), whereas longer duration of treatment (>3 months) was more frequent in the omega-3 group (79.1%). In the immune stimulants group, 60.4% of patients were treated for a period between 1 and 3 months. Clinical improvement was rated by participants as “a lot” in 39% of cases and as “quite” improvement in 50.6%. The overall level of satisfaction was rated as “very satisfied” by 52.1% of participants and as “quite satisfied” by 40.9%. The results show that the use of dietary supplements to improve different conditions, particularly minor disorders, is a widespread clinical practice among Spanish pediatricians. Administration regimens for the three types of supplements, synbiotics, immune stimulants, and omega-3 PUFAs, were consistent with guideline recommendations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5aeebfdee0104fdf944327040d6a2175 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-0724 2090-0732 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism |
| spelling | doaj-art-5aeebfdee0104fdf944327040d6a21752025-02-03T01:30:36ZengWileyJournal of Nutrition and Metabolism2090-07242090-07322019-01-01201910.1155/2019/58193055819305Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey StudyIgnacio Güemes Heras0Alicia Santamaría-Orleans1José F. Colinas Herrero2Pilar Gómez Sorrigueta3Luis Ortiz González4Raquel de la Iglesia-Arnaez5Alejandro Canals Baeza6Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Católico Universitario Casa de Salud, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Scientific Communication, Laboratorios Ordesa, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, SpainService of Pediatrics, Centro de Salud García Lorca, Burgos, SpainService of Pediatrics, Centro de Salud El Crucero, León, SpainPediatrics Clinic Dr. L. Ortiz, Badajoz, SpainDepartment of Scientific Communication, Laboratorios Ordesa, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, SpainService of Pediatrics, Centro de Salud Alicante Santa Faz, Alicante, SpainA cross-sectional survey study was designed to gather information on the use of dietary supplements by Spanish pediatricians. The study questionnaire was completed by 433 pediatricians (62% men, mean age 52.5 years) throughout the country. They also provided data on 10 of their patients (n = 4304) in which synbiotics, immune stimulants, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) had been prescribed. Synbiotics were used by 92% of pediatricians, immune stimulants by 80.4%, and omega-3 PUFAs by 75.1%. Synbiotics were mainly used combined with antibiotics (92.6%) and for gastrointestinal disorders (91.2%), immune stimulants to enhance defenses and cold prevention (87.1%), and omega-3 PUFAs to improve symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (84.8%) and concentration (80.1%). Confidence and previous experience with the product (51.6%), composition and indications of the product (43.1%), and tolerability (39.9%) were main factors involved in decision-making. Children treated with omega-3 supplements were significantly older (mean age 7.6 (3.0) years) than those treated with synbiotics (3.9 (3.9) years) or immune stimulants (3.4 (2.8) years) (P<0.001). Short duration of treatment (<1 month) was significantly more common in the synbiotics group (90.5%), whereas longer duration of treatment (>3 months) was more frequent in the omega-3 group (79.1%). In the immune stimulants group, 60.4% of patients were treated for a period between 1 and 3 months. Clinical improvement was rated by participants as “a lot” in 39% of cases and as “quite” improvement in 50.6%. The overall level of satisfaction was rated as “very satisfied” by 52.1% of participants and as “quite satisfied” by 40.9%. The results show that the use of dietary supplements to improve different conditions, particularly minor disorders, is a widespread clinical practice among Spanish pediatricians. Administration regimens for the three types of supplements, synbiotics, immune stimulants, and omega-3 PUFAs, were consistent with guideline recommendations.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5819305 |
| spellingShingle | Ignacio Güemes Heras Alicia Santamaría-Orleans José F. Colinas Herrero Pilar Gómez Sorrigueta Luis Ortiz González Raquel de la Iglesia-Arnaez Alejandro Canals Baeza Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism |
| title | Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study |
| title_full | Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study |
| title_fullStr | Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study |
| title_short | Use of Dietary Supplements among Spanish Pediatricians in Daily Practice: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study |
| title_sort | use of dietary supplements among spanish pediatricians in daily practice a cross sectional survey study |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5819305 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ignacioguemesheras useofdietarysupplementsamongspanishpediatriciansindailypracticeacrosssectionalsurveystudy AT aliciasantamariaorleans useofdietarysupplementsamongspanishpediatriciansindailypracticeacrosssectionalsurveystudy AT josefcolinasherrero useofdietarysupplementsamongspanishpediatriciansindailypracticeacrosssectionalsurveystudy AT pilargomezsorrigueta useofdietarysupplementsamongspanishpediatriciansindailypracticeacrosssectionalsurveystudy AT luisortizgonzalez useofdietarysupplementsamongspanishpediatriciansindailypracticeacrosssectionalsurveystudy AT raqueldelaiglesiaarnaez useofdietarysupplementsamongspanishpediatriciansindailypracticeacrosssectionalsurveystudy AT alejandrocanalsbaeza useofdietarysupplementsamongspanishpediatriciansindailypracticeacrosssectionalsurveystudy |