Senior citizens’ vitamin D supplements intake: evidence from Denmark

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Several public interventions have been designed in recent years to urge the intake of vitamin D supplements among the senior population to avoid the direct and indirect consequences associated with vitamin D deficiency. However, the effectiveness of these public campaigns remains quite limited. In an online survey, the current study investigates attitudes towards vitamin D supplements intake and associated behaviours in a representative sample of Danish senior citizens (N = 554) – that is, individuals aged 55 years and above. RESULTS: Approximately half of the sample reported taking vitamin D supplements in the preceding year. Furthermore, being male and having a positive perception of individuals’ own health status increased the probability of being a non-user. Increasing confidence in the information provided by health authorities (such as medical doctors and pharmacies) is particularly critical for enhancing the likelihood of non-users to purchase vitamin D supplements. However, also encouraging the uptake of vitamin D supplements in specialized supermarkets with stands and promotions seems an appealing and practical solution to increase seniors’ uptake of vitamin D supplements. CONCLUSIONS: The present study outlines the characteristics of senior Danish non-users of vitamin D supplements. Additionally, the research provides information on the strategies that could be applied by public organizations to foster vitamin D supplements intake among this target segment of the population. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.