The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) revealed key findings from its 2014 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, pointing to a high percentage of usage of, and a high percentage of confidence in, dietary supplements among U.S. adults.

The survey, in its 15th consecutive year, found that 68 percent of U.S. adults report taking dietary supplements, including more than 50 percent who report being regular users. The survey also found that the majority of U.S. adults, 83 percent, express overall confidence in the safety, quality and effectiveness of dietary supplements, reported CRN.

The “Vitamins & Minerals” category of supplements remains the most popular across all generations of supplement users, according to the survey. “The survey is just another indicator of the important role dietary supplements play for men and women of all ages who are trying to achieve a lifestyle of wellness,” said Judy Blatman, senior vice president, communications, CRN.

Throughout 2015, CRN will continue to release segments of data from the survey through a series of infographics and other online components, providing insight into the dietary supplement consumer, reported the council, adding the survey data reveals important trends to watch, such as the fact that the gap between male and female dietary supplement users is starting to close, or that product advertising remains one of the least important purchasing factors for supplement users.

“Although our industry received its fair share of bad publicity this year, we believe that confidence remains high because people realize there is a legitimate and responsible majority of companies in our industry whose top priority is to ensure product quality so that consumers can not only maintain good health, but also maintain brand loyalty," said Blatman. "Smart consumers pay attention to finding the right companies and products for them.”

According to the council, the 2014 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements was conducted from August 25-29, 2014 by Ipsos Public Affairs and was funded by CRN. The survey was conducted online and included a national sample of 2,010 adults aged 18 and older from Ipsos’ U.S. online panel. The survey has been conducted annually since 2000.

Weighting was employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the U.S. adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points, reported CRN.

For more information, visit www.crnusa.org.