The Health Council recommends extra vitamins to certain population groups, but there Little is known about the degree of compliance with these supplementation recommendations in the Netherlands. This is evident from an initial study by the RIVM. There is insufficient data on dosage, frequency and duration of use of the recommended supplements.
Supplementation advice
A number of groups of people in the Netherlands, despite a healthy and varied diet, probably do not consume enough of certain nutrients. The Health Council therefore advises these groups to take a supplement. For example, the advice for women who want to become pregnant is to take folic acid. Various groups of people are advised to take vitamin D, such as children aged 0 to 3 years, pregnant women and women aged 50 and over and men aged 70 and over. In addition, there is vitamin K advice for babies and advice for vegans to take vitamin B12. to use.
Compliance
Research by the RIVM shows that there is little information about whether these groups follow the supplementation advice properly. Detailed data on dosage, frequency and duration of use are lacking. There is also little data available on factors that can promote or hinder compliance with supplementation advice.
Follow-up research
The RIVM conducted the research on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The research is the first part of a larger project aimed at gaining insight into the extent to which people in the Netherlands follow supplementation advice. In follow-up research, RIVM will investigate how the required information can still be obtained. This can help in devising new ways to ensure that these groups get enough of these essential nutrients, or to improve compliance with advice. Advice to pregnant women regarding calcium, iodine and fish fatty acids has not been investigated, partly because they have only recently been introduced.
Source: RIVM
