Use of dietary supplements among lactating women in western Algeria. [Prise des compléments alimentaires chez des femmes allaitantes de l'ouest Algérien]

Abstract

Introduction. Supplementation during breastfeeding (BF) has a significant impact on the health of lactating women and their children. However, this topic remains poorly documented in Algeria. Objective. To characterize the use of dietary supplements among BF women. Subjects and Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a questionnaire among 510 BF women in the city of Sidi-Bel-Abbès (Algeria). Results. This study showed that almost half (49%) of BF women took dietary supplements. The most commonly reported micronutrients were vitamin B6 (41.8%), vitamin B12 (36.3%), vitamin C (33.7%), iron (28.4%), magnesium (28.0%), and zinc (30.0%). The intake rates of vitamins B1, B2, B9, E, D, iodine, and omega-3 ranged from 10% to 25%, while those of vitamins A, B3, B5, B8, and calcium were below 9%. Nearly 80% of these products were purchased on prescription or on the advice of a health professional. One-third of women reported using dietary supplements to address nutritional deficiencies, while 29.3% used them to increase milk supply. The majority of these women took dietary supplements for less than 9 months. Some women believed that dietary supplements could replace dietary nutrients and that they had no negative health effects. Several factors, such as age, professional status, education level, urbanicity, household income, health insurance, health status, weight status, type of breastfeeding, use of dietary supplements during pregnancy, and physical activity, were associated with the use of dietary supplements. Conclusion. Collecting data on the consumption of dietary supplements among breastfeeding women is an essential step in documenting current trends to better understand their motivations and behaviour. These data can guide future awareness-raising actions regarding the use of dietary supplements during breastfeeding.

Keywords

• lactating women
• dietary supplements
• micronutrients
• supplementation
• algeria