TABLE 1.
Distribution and characteristics of study participants according to frequency of multivitamin use in the National Institutes of Health–AARP Diet and Health Study
| Frequency of multivitamin use, number of times per week | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Never | <3 | 3–6 | 71 | >72 |
| Participants, n | 219,512 | 33,621 | 25,638 | 185,955 | 24,878 |
| Male, % | 64.2 | 54.2 | 55.8 | 56.3 | 55.0 |
| Age at entry, mean (SD), years | 62.1 (5.4) | 61.1 (5.4) | 61.1 (5.4) | 62.3 (5.3) | 61.7 (5.4) |
| BMI 25 to <30 kg/m2, % | 42.4 | 40.9 | 41.6 | 40.8 | 41.0 |
| Current smoker, % | 12.6 | 13.8 | 12.1 | 10.8 | 10.8 |
| Current use of alcohol, % | 74.5 | 78.4 | 79.9 | 75.8 | 76.0 |
| Non-Hispanic White, % | 90.8 | 88.6 | 90.2 | 92.5 | 90.3 |
| Vigorous physical activity ≥5 times/week,3 % | 18.1 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 21.7 | 21.9 |
| Educational level of college or postgraduate, % | 36.3 | 40.6 | 42.3 | 40.0 | 42.2 |
| Self-reported health condition of excellent, very good, or good, % | 85.6 | 87.0 | 88.8 | 87.4 | 86.1 |
| Marital status of married or living as married, % | 71.5 | 65.8 | 66.4 | 66.7 | 63.0 |
| Multivitamin type 4 | |||||
| One-a-day, % | 0 | 77.2 | 79.4 | 77.4 | 88.9 |
| Therapeutic or Theragran, % | 0 | 18.3 | 19.8 | 17.8 | 75.8 |
| Stress-tab, % | 0 | 11.8 | 11.6 | 5.2 | 61.2 |
| Single supplement use5 | |||||
| Vitamin E, % | 21.0 | 45.3 | 50.9 | 52.6 | 76.6 |
| Vitamin A, % | 6.2 | 18.5 | 19.5 | 17.2 | 40.6 |
| β-carotene, % | 7.9 | 18.9 | 21.9 | 21.1 | 2.3 |
| Vitamin C, % | 22.1 | 54.0 | 56.9 | 55.8 | 79.4 |
| Calcium, % | 18.2 | 45.8 | 48.1 | 46.7 | 64.6 |
| Zinc, % | 6.6 | 14.9 | 18.1 | 17.9 | 35.9 |
| Iron, % | 4.2 | 14.2 | 14.5 | 13.9 | 26.7 |
| Selenium, % | 3.8 | 6.5 | 9.3 | 10.5 | 23.4 |
| Folic acid, % | 4.4 | 8.7 | 10.6 | 11.6 | 24.9 |
| History of diabetes, % | 10.1 | 6.9 | 6.0 | 8.5 | 8.3 |
| Family history of any cancer, yes,6 % | 48.1 | 49.0 | 48.5 | 49.2 | 48.3 |
| Energy intake, mean (SD), kcal/day | 1,849 (825.0) | 1,822 (810.0) | 1,812 (777.6) | 1,815 (777.7) | 1,898 (853.6) |
| Total HEI-2015 score, mean (SD) | 66.5 (9.8) | 67.1 (9.4) | 68.2 (9.1) | 68.9 (9.3) | 69.0 (9.1) |
Abbreviations: AARP, American Association of Retired Persons; HEI, Healthy Eating Index.
1
One per day.
2
More than 1 per day.
3
Physical activity was defined as at least 20 minutes of activity that caused an increase in breathing or heart rate or working up a sweat.
4
Some participants reported using more than 1 type.
5
Use was defined as taking a single supplement at least once per month over the last 12 months.
6
Participants reported any first-degree relatives ever diagnosed with cancer.