Prevalence, patterns, perceptions, and sociodemographic determinants of dietary supplement use among adults in the United Arab Emirates
- 1College of Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
Abstract
Background: Previous studies have documented dietary supplement use in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but many have focused on specific populations, supplement categories, geographical settings, or particular contexts. Evidence integrating overall supplement use, patterns and experiences of use, perceptions, and associated sociodemographic and health-related factors among adult UAE residents remains limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of dietary supplement use, assess supplement-related perceptions, and identify factors associated with supplement use and perceptions among adults residing in the UAE.
Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 600 adults aged ≥18 years residing in the UAE (58.8% male, 41.2% female). Participants were recruited using convenience sampling through an anonymous electronic survey distributed through university-linked networks, community groups, and public online platforms. A structured questionnaire assessed sociodemographic and health characteristics, dietary supplement use and related practices, and four perceptions regarding supplement necessity, safety, disease prevention, and promotion by healthcare professionals. Associations were examined using Pearson’s chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.
Results: Overall, 287 participants (47.8%) reported ever using dietary supplements; among them, 58.9% were current users. Vitamins (70.6%), minerals (57.8%), and protein supplements (47.4%) were the most commonly reported categories. Managing nutritional deficiencies (38.0%) and improving fitness (35.3%) were the leading reasons for use, while healthcare professionals were the most frequently reported source of recommendation (40.1%). In the adjusted analysis, undergraduate/postgraduate education (AOR 18.32, 95% CI 9.09–36.89; p < 0.001), female sex (AOR 3.13, 95% CI 1.76–5.58; p < 0.001), Expat Arab nationality compared with UAE nationality (AOR 4.58, 95% CI 2.14–9.82; p < 0.001), and chronic medical conditions (AOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.27–3.64; p = 0.004) were associated with higher odds of supplement use, whereas employment compared with student status was associated with lower odds (AOR 0.28, 95% CI 0.13–0.61; p = 0.001). Ever supplement use was the only factor consistently associated with all four favorable perception outcomes (all p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for evidence-based nutrition education and individualized professional guidance to support informed and appropriate use of dietary supplements. Incorporating supplement-use history into clinical assessment may help address inappropriate use, misconceptions, and potential supplement–drug interactions. Longitudinal and population-representative studies with documented geographic coverage across the UAE are needed to confirm these associations and clarify the relationship between supplement use and perceptions.
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BibTeX
@article{alkhayat2026prevalence,
title = {{Prevalence, patterns, perceptions, and sociodemographic determinants of dietary supplement use among adults in the United Arab Emirates}},
author = {Ali Alkhayat and Nelofar Sami Khan},
journal = {Frontiers in Nutrition},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fnut.2026.1955988},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1955988},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Prevalence, patterns, perceptions, and sociodemographic determinants of dietary supplement use among adults in the United Arab Emirates
AU - Ali Alkhayat
AU - Nelofar Sami Khan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Frontiers in Nutrition
DO - 10.3389/fnut.2026.1955988
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1955988
AB - Background: Previous studies have documented dietary supplement use in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but many have focused on specific populations, supplement categories, geographical settings, or particular contexts. Evidence integrating overall supplement use, patterns and experiences of use, perceptions, and associated sociodemographic and health-related factors among adult UAE residents remains limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of dietary supplement use, assess supplement-related perceptions, and identify factors associated with supplement use and perceptions among adults residing in the UAE. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 600 adults aged ≥18 years residing in the UAE (58.8% male, 41.2% female). Participants were recruited using convenience sampling through an anonymous electronic survey distributed through university-linked networks, community groups, and public online platforms. A structured questionnaire assessed sociodemographic and health characteristics, dietary supplement use and related practices, and four perceptions regarding supplement necessity, safety, disease prevention, and promotion by healthcare professionals. Associations were examined using Pearson’s chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Results: Overall, 287 participants (47.8%) reported ever using dietary supplements; among them, 58.9% were current users. Vitamins (70.6%), minerals (57.8%), and protein supplements (47.4%) were the most commonly reported categories. Managing nutritional deficiencies (38.0%) and improving fitness (35.3%) were the leading reasons for use, while healthcare professionals were the most frequently reported source of recommendation (40.1%). In the adjusted analysis, undergraduate/postgraduate education (AOR 18.32, 95% CI 9.09–36.89; p < 0.001), female sex (AOR 3.13, 95% CI 1.76–5.58; p < 0.001), Expat Arab nationality compared with UAE nationality (AOR 4.58, 95% CI 2.14–9.82; p < 0.001), and chronic medical conditions (AOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.27–3.64; p = 0.004) were associated with higher odds of supplement use, whereas employment compared with student status was associated with lower odds (AOR 0.28, 95% CI 0.13–0.61; p = 0.001). Ever supplement use was the only factor consistently associated with all four favorable perception outcomes (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for evidence-based nutrition education and individualized professional guidance to support informed and appropriate use of dietary supplements. Incorporating supplement-use history into clinical assessment may help address inappropriate use, misconceptions, and potential supplement–drug interactions. Longitudinal and population-representative studies with documented geographic coverage across the UAE are needed to confirm these associations and clarify the relationship between supplement use and perceptions.
SN - 2296-861X
ER -