Canadians confused by myths vs. facts about vitamin use: survey
(NC)-While 83 per cent of Canadians believe that taking vitamin and mineral supplements can play a role in promoting good health, fewer than half see a need to take them daily, according to a recent health survey.
"Canadians recognize that vitamin and mineral supplements are good for them, but there is still plenty of confusion over how to get the most health benefit from them," says Andrea Miller, a registered dietitian at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre.
Fewer than half (46 per cent) of Canadians surveyed believe that it is necessary to take a vitamin and mineral supplement daily to complement a healthy diet. In addition, two thirds of those surveyed (64 per cent) believed that with proper diet, vitamin and mineral supplements are unnecessary.
This is contrary to studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine and The Journal of the American Medical Association. These publications recommend that all adults take a daily multivitamin to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with inadequate nutrient intake, such as heart disease, certain types of cancers and osteoporosis.
"Even if one is eating a relatively healthy diet, it can be challenging to meet the daily vitamin and mineral requirements necessary for optimum health," says Miller. "For example, a person would need to consume about two cups of spinach each day to meet the daily requirements for folate (folic acid), which helps reduce the risk of birth defects, certain cancers and heart disease."
Miller adds that a daily multivitamin is meant to help supplement a healthy diet, not erase the effects of a poor diet. The best nutrition advice is to eat a wellbalanced diet according to Canada's Food Guide and take a daily multivitamin as nutritional insurance. To learn more about vitamins and minerals, visit our Vitamin and Minerals Resource Centre.
- News Canada
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