Beyond the Label: Survey Data on Dietary Supplement Use and Health Information Sources in Grades 8 to 12

Author: William C. Wang, Dr. Henry Sun

Abstract: Dietary supplements are easy for teenagers to find in stores and online. However, students may not fully understand how these products are regulated, labeled, and tested. This study used an anonymous questionnaire to examine supplement use, safety awareness, and health information sources among 61 students in Grades 8-12. Thirty-eight students (62.3%) reported using at least one dietary supplement. Responses about FDA oversight, independent testing, third-party certification, Supplement Facts labels, and professional guidance were mixed. Students also reported getting health information from school, healthcare professionals, family, friends, social media, and other online sources. These results provide a small health data set that can guide future e-health education. A simple digital activity using product labels and online claims may help students judge health information more carefully.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Dietary Supplements, eHealth, Health Data Analysis, Online Health Information

I. INTRODUCTION

Dietary supplements, including vitamins, protein products, herbal products, and other nutritional supplements, are used by many young people for sports, general wellness, immune support, and recovery. National studies have also reported supplement use among children, teenagers, and young athletes [1], [2]. These products are regulated differently from drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold, so consumers must read labels, check claims, and use reliable sources [3]-[5].

This issue also has an e-health side. Teenagers often see health advice, ads, and personal stories through websites and social media. Online access can be helpful, but it can also make weak or misleading claims look trustworthy. Health literacy means being able to find, understand, judge, and use health information [6]. Therefore, this project examined three questions: (1) How common was current supplement use in a local sample? (2) What patterns appeared in students' understanding of safety, regulation, labels, and product quality? and (3) Where did students get health information?

II. METHODS

An anonymous multiple-choice questionnaire was distributed in person within the local student community between April and July 2026. Participation was voluntary, and no personally identifiable information was collected. A total of 61 completed questionnaires from students in Grades 8-12 were included. The sample included 43 male and 18 female participants. Forty-one students reported participating in organized sports, and 20 did not. Responses were summarized using counts and percentages. Examples of the survey questions are shown in Table I. Because recruitment was voluntary and community based, the study was descriptive and was not designed to make claims about all adolescents.

TABLE I

Topic ‍ Example Questions

Supplement Use‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍ Do you currently use one or more dietary supplements?

Product Information ‍ ‍ Do you usually read the Supplement Facts label before purchasing a dietary supplement?

Product Safety ‍ ‍Do you think a supplement labeled "Natural" is always safe to use?

Third-Party Certification‍ ‍Have you heard of third-party certification programs (e.g., NSF Certified for Sport)?

Professional Guidance‍ ‍Would you talk with a doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional before using a dietary supplement?

Label Reading ‍ ‍‍ ‍ Before purchasing a dietary supplement, do you usually read the Supplement Facts label?

Health Information‍ ‍Where do you usually obtain health information about dietary supplements?

III. RESULTS

Overall, 38 of 61 students (62.3%) reported currently using one or more dietary supplements. Reported products included vitamins, protein supplements, and other nutritional products. Students described using supplements for sports as well as general wellness, immune support, recovery, and overall health. In this sample, supplement use was not limited to athletic performance.

TABLE II

SELECTED HEALTH DATA FROM THE SURVEY

Measure Count

Total sample 61

Male participants 43

Female participants 18

Participating in organized sports 41

Not participating in organized sports 20

Currently using ≥1 dietary supplement 38

Not currently using dietary supplements 23

Questions about dietary supplements showed uneven understanding. Responses related to dietary supplement regulation, product quality, third-party certification, Supplement Facts labels, and professional guidance showed greater variability than questions on general supplement use. Students also reported getting health information from school health classes, healthcare professionals, family members, teachers, friends, social media, and online resources. Most reported using more than one source when making health decisions.

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IV. DISCUSSION AND EHEALTH IMPLICATIONS

The main pattern in this sample was frequent supplement use together with uneven understanding of supplement safety and quality. This does not mean that students lacked general health knowledge. Instead, it suggests that students may need more practice applying what they learn to real products, labels, and claims.

This pattern is relevant to e-health because students named social media and online resources as sources of health information. A useful digital lesson could show a Supplement Facts label, an FDA page, an online advertisement, and a social-media post. Students could compare the sources, decide which claims are supported, and receive a short explanation. FDA already provides online materials for consumers, teachers, and social-media education [7], [8].

The digital lesson was not built or tested in this study. It is a possible next step based on the survey results. A later study could give a short quiz before and after the lesson to see whether students improve in reading labels, recognizing certification, and checking online claims. This would extend the current survey from health data analysis to a small eHealth education project.

V. LIMITATIONS

This study used a small, voluntary convenience sample and was not designed to represent the broader student population. The sample included 43 male and 18 female participants, many Grade 11 students, and 41 students in organized sports. All answers were self-reported, and the study cannot show cause and effect. The survey also did not measure how often students used each online source or whether the information they saw was accurate. Future studies should use larger and more diverse samples, define supplement categories clearly, report raw counts for each question, and separate FDA oversight from premarket approval in the wording of survey items.

VI. CONCLUSION

This community-based survey found that 62.3% of participants reported current dietary supplement use, while understanding of regulation, certification, labels, and product quality was mixed. Students used many sources of health information, including social media and online content. The study therefore connects a small local health data set with a clear e-health education need. Future work can test a simple digital lesson that helps students read labels, compare sources, and make safer decisions.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Thanks Dr. Henry Sun for guidance on research design, regulatory science, data interpretation, and scientific writing, and Shuhua Castaldi for guidance on quality systems and regulatory compliance.

REFERENCES

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[3] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Dietary Supplements,” Oct. 1, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements. [Accessed: Aug. 3, 2026].

[4] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Is It Really ‘FDA Approved’?” May 4, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/it-really-fda-approved. [Accessed: Aug. 3, 2026].

[5] National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, “Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know,” Jan. 4, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WYNTK-Consumer/. [Accessed: Aug. 3, 2026].

[6] D. Nutbeam, “Health literacy as a public health goal: A challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century,” Health Promotion International, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 259-267, 2000, doi: 10.1093/heapro/15.3.259.

[7] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Supplement Your Knowledge,” May 25, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/supplement-your-knowledge. [Accessed: Aug. 3, 2026].

[8] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Spread the Word about Dietary Supplements—Social Media Toolkit,” May 25, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/spread-word-about-dietary-supplements-social-media-toolkit. [Accessed: Aug. 3, 2026].Chronic stress adversely affects the immune system by increasing the production of cortisol, a hormone that suppresses immune function. Stress reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga can enhance immune resilience and overall well-being.