Almudaihim Abeer, Sudersanadas Kavita, Abdelrahman Ihssan, Alkoblan Aseel, Philip Winnie, Tambur Prachi, Alrabiah Shatha
College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU.
King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Dec 9;16(12):e75431. doi: 10.7759/cureus.75431. eCollection 2024 Dec.
Young adults, particularly those aged 18-25, exhibit varying perceptions and choices regarding the use of protein supplements (PS). Understanding these perceptions can significantly enhance professional guidance and nutrition education for undergraduate students. This study, conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aims to explore the perceptions of PS use and identify the most popular PS among university students.
This cross-sectional descriptive study involved young adults aged 18-25 of both genders. A validated online questionnaire was used to collect data, which was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, United States). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC) approved the study protocol.
A total of 740 participants (430 females (58.1%) and 310 males (41.9%)) were included in the study. Around 17% reported using PS, with males being the primary users (65 (51.6%)). Protein powder was the most popular protein supplement (48 (38.1%)), followed by a combination of protein powder, protein bars, and fortified foods (42 (33.3%)). Age, gender, and family income significantly influenced protein supplement use (p<0.05). Males preferred a combination of protein powder and fortified food. Significant gender differences were observed in the choice of protein supplement type (p=0.001). Perceptions of PS were influenced by friends, family, doctors, pharmacists, social media, and the internet. However, the majority of participants indicated a need for more awareness regarding PS.
The study underscores the need for improved professional guidance and nutrition education for young adults, particularly in addressing misconceptions and gender differences in protein supplement use.
年轻人，尤其是18至25岁的人群，在蛋白质补充剂（PS）的使用方面表现出不同的认知和选择。了解这些认知可以显著加强对本科生的专业指导和营养教育。本研究在沙特阿拉伯利雅得进行，旨在探索对PS使用的认知，并确定大学生中最受欢迎的PS。
本横断面描述性研究涉及18至25岁的青年男女。使用经过验证的在线问卷收集数据，并用IBM SPSS Statistics 21版软件（IBM公司，美国阿蒙克）进行分析。p值<0.05被认为具有统计学意义。阿卜杜拉国王国际医学研究中心（KAIMRC）的机构审查委员会（IRB）批准了研究方案。
共有740名参与者（430名女性（58.1%）和310名男性（41.9%））纳入研究。约17%的人报告使用PS，男性是主要使用者（65人（51.6%））。蛋白粉是最受欢迎的蛋白质补充剂（48人（38.1%）），其次是蛋白粉、蛋白棒和强化食品的组合（42人（33.3%））。年龄、性别和家庭收入显著影响蛋白质补充剂的使用（p<0.05）。男性更喜欢蛋白粉和强化食品的组合。在蛋白质补充剂类型的选择上观察到显著的性别差异（p=0.001）。对PS的认知受到朋友、家人、医生、药剂师、社交媒体和互联网的影响。然而，大多数参与者表示需要更多关于PS的认识。
该研究强调需要加强对年轻人的专业指导和营养教育，特别是在解决蛋白质补充剂使用中的误解和性别差异方面。
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