Attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of Australia dietitians regarding dietary supplements: A cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of Australian dietitians regarding dietary supplements. METHODS: An online survey was disseminated through the mailing lists of multiple healthcare organizations. There were 231 Australian dietitians that replied to the online survey. RESULTS: The results indicate that Australian dietitians are interested in dietary supplements (65%); however, the results also indicate that Australian dietitians are tentative about integrating dietary supplements into their dietetic practice. Concerns regarding potential drug-nutrient/herbal interactions were reported as the primary barrier (67%) to utilizing dietary supplements as part of clinical practice. In addition, there was a strong interest in additional training in dietary supplements (79%). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, Australian dietitians are interested in the use of dietary supplements; however, due to current barriers, few dietitians utilize dietary supplements as part of dietetic practice.