Table 1

General characteristics of users and non-users of nonvitamin/nonmineral supplements


Non-users
n(%)
1563(83.5)
Users
n(%)
308(16.5)
Total
n(%)
1871(100.0)

Sex
x2 = 5.594; p = 0.018
     Men
758(83.4)
151(16.6)
909(48.6)
     Women
805(83.7)
157(16.3)
962(51.4)
Ages
x2 = 35.732; p = 0.000
     ≤ 18
358(86.7)
55(13.3)
413(22.1)
     19–20
789(84.6)
144(15.4)
933(49.9)
     21–22
292(85.1)
51(14.9)
343(18.3)
     ≥ 23
124(68.1)
58(31.9)
182(9.7)
BMI values
x2 = 73.392; p = 0.000
     Underweight (<18.5)
199(67.7)
95(32.3)
294(15.7)
     Normal weight (≥ 18.5 – ≤ 24.99)
1212(86.6)
187(13.4)
1399(74.8)
     Overweight (≥ 25 – ≤ 29.9)
121(90.3)
13(9.7)
134(7.2)
     Obese (≥ 30 – ≤ 39.9)
31(70.5)
13(29.5)
44(2.4)
Type of school
x2 = 23.573; p = 0.000
     Medicine
164(79.2)
43(20.8)
207(11.1)
     Engineering and architecture
536(88.4)
70(11.6)
606(32.4)
     Science and literature
332(82.4)
71(17.6)
403(21.5)
     Economics
204(79.7)
52(16.9)
256(13.7)
     Education
144(77.0)
43(23.0)
187(10.0)
     College of health services.
183(86.3)
29(13.7)
212(11.3)
Year in school
ns
     Freshman
570(85.6)
96(14.4)
666(35.6)
     Sophomore
556(80.8)
132(19.2)
688(36.8)
     Junior
168(86.2)
27(13.8)
195(10.4)
     Senior
269(83.5)
53(16.5)
322(17.2)
Marital status
ns
     Single
1520(83.7)
296(16.3)
1816(97.1)
     Married
33(82.5)
7(17.5)
40(2.1)
     Divorced/widow(er)/separated
10(66.7)
5(33.3)
15(0.8)
Mother's education level
x2 = 11.940; p = 0.008
     Primary school and lower
848(84.8)
152(15.2)
1000(53.4)
     Secondary school
106(74.1)
37(25.9)
143(7.6)
     High school
395(84.9)
70(15.1)
465(24.9)
     College or university
214(81.4)
49(18.6)
263(14.1)
Father's education level
x2 = 7.807; p = 0.050
     Primary school and lower
416(87.6)
59(12.4)
475(25.4)
     Secondary school
149(83.2)
30(16.8)
179(9.6)
     High school
537(81.7)
120(18.3)
657(35.1)
     College or university
461(82.3)
99(17.7)
560(29.9)
Family income
x2 = 22.971; p = 0.000
     Low
763(86.7)
117(13.3)
880(47.0)
     Moderate
566(83.4)
113(16.6)
679(36.3)
     High
234(75.0)
78(25.3)
312(16.7)
Most permanent place of residence
x2 = 13.642; p = 0.001
     Village/town
141(79.7)
36(20.3)
177(9.5)
     City
1207(85.3)
208(14.7)
1415(75.6)
     Metropolis
215(77.1)
64(22.9)
279(14.9)
Smoking status
x2 = 15.435; p = 0.000
     Nonsmoker
1093(85.7)
183(14.3)
1276(68.2)
     Current smoker
390(80.1)
97(19.9)
487(26.0)
     Former smoker
80(74.1)
26(25.9)
108(5.8)
Participation in sport
x2 = 9.193; p = 0.010
     No
724(82.5)
154(17.5)
878(46.9)
     Former
580(82.4)
124(17.6)
704(37.6)
     Yes
259(89.6)
30(10.4)
289(15.4)
Exercise
x2 = 12.205; p = 0.002
     Never
440(83.5)
87(16.5)
527(28.2)
     Fewer than 3 times per month
862(85.6)
145(14.4)
1007(53.8)
     More than 3 times per month
261(77.4)
76(22.6)
337(18.0)
Self-reported health
ns
     Fair/poor
400(83.2)
81(16.8)
481(25.7)
     Good-excellent
1163(83.7)
227(16.3)
1390(74.3)

Ayranci et al. BMC Public Health 2005 5:47   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-5-47