Attitudes and behaviors of consumers towards food supplements after the pandemic in Bursa province

In this study, the use of dietary supplements by residents in the urban area of Bursa after the COVID-19 pandemic, their views on these products, and the factors influencing these views were investigated. The study was conducted through face-to-face surveys with 792 participants over the age of 18 in the central districts of Bursa—Nilüfer, Gemlik, and Osmangazi—during January, February, and March 2024. The survey aimed to determine the impact of certain demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of participants on dietary supplement consumption. The study found that the overall rate of dietary supplement use among all participants was 75.7%. Among these individuals, 11.5% were unaware that the product they were consuming fell into the dietary supplement category, despite having used such products previously. It was also observed that the rate of dietary supplement use increased with participants' income and education levels. The most commonly consumed supplement was the vitamin/multivitamin group, with a rate of 29%. Additionally, 17.6% of users reported taking supplements to alleviate fatigue, while 22% used them to aid in the treatment of a specific illness. The study found that 60.3% of consumers preferred to purchase dietary supplements from pharmacies. Keywords: Supplementary Food, Consumption, Awareness Level, Habit, Survey, Post-Pandemic Period