Abstract
Nutritional supplements refer to any supplementary product ingested to increase the
nutritional content of a normal diet to either fill a need or presumed deficiency. The
Medicines Control Council (MCC) of South Africa is a statutory body that regulates the
performance of clinical trials and registration of medicines. The MCC is responsible for
ensuring that all clinical trials of both non-registered medicines and new indications of
registered medicines comply with the necessary requirements for safety, quality and
efficiency. However, there is currently no regulatory framework enforced by the MCC with
regards to supplements in South Africa. A great health concern thus arises with the popularity
and the usage of nutritional supplements.
The aim of the study was to determine if gymnasium users in Johannesburg North use
nutritional supplements and also to ascertain the attitudes of gymnasium users towards
nutritional supplements. The study determines where gymnasium users obtain their
information and education regarding supplements. In addition, the researcher gathered
information regarding the average monthly expenditure on supplements by Johannesburg’s
gymnasium users. A theory of attitudes, namely the functionalist theory by the psychologist
Daniel Katz, views that attitudes are determined by the functions they serve for us. People
grasp on to given attitudes because these attitudes help them attain their basic goals and
needs. This theory was used as a guideline to determine that attitude plays a role in the use of
nutritional supplements.
The study design is a cross-sectional quantitative study using a self-administered
questionnaire (Annexure X). The sample consisted of 364 (205 male and 159 female)
gymnasium participants aged between 19 and 49 years old. The participants attended
gymnasiums two or more times a week at any of the five selected gymnasiums within the
Johannesburg North region.
Noticeable findings amongst the demographics of the gymnasium users include the growth of
African (Black) gymnasium users in public gymnasiums. Further findings show that
gymnasium users are aware of the increase in nutritional supplement use in public
gymnasiums. The majority of gymnasium users make use of nutritional supplements...
M.Phil. (Sports Science)