subject: Dietary supplements 'popular among male students' [print this page] Dietary supplements 'popular among male students'
Consumers' interest in health supplements is rising. This is perhaps in part a result of the fact that professional brands such as Biobran and Garden of Life are now more widely available and can be sourced over the web.
New research conducted by Dr Ricardo Costa from Coventry University has found that male students are among those buying dietary supplements.
Along with colleague Dr Farzad Amirabdollahian, he has conducted around 130 in-depth interviews with undergraduates of both sexes and found that males were particularly prone to using products such as protein powders, the Guardian reports.
He hopes to conduct a further 270 interviews before next April.
The academic stated: "That 400 will give us a really strong idea of the trends in one university. From there, we hope to apply for a grant and expand the study to two more."
Commenting on his motivation for investigating this topic, he added: "The more I looked into the obesity epidemic in the UK, the more it became evident that there was a lot of evidence about the dietary habits of children and adults, but very little in between."
Dr Costa went on to claim that many of the males he spoke to were very concerned about their body images.
He added: "They're spending their money on dietary supplements such as protein powders, amino acids and creatine."
Also, they tend to eat a lot of high-protein, low-fat meat, such as chicken and turkey breasts. Meanwhile, egg whites were also a popular source of sustenance, he noted.
The researcher also suggested that the income and educational level of students' parents had little bearing on their dietary choices.
Experts always recommend that consumers who choose to buy food supplements such as Biobran and Garden of Life must also ensure they maintain healthy eating habits, including a varied diet.
