Respondents were first asked, "For what specific health problems or conditions did you take [fill: 1st vitamin] to prevent?" (See VIT1MOST for the first vitamin/mineral supplement taken most often by the respondent.) Sample adults could report that they had used a first vitamin/mineral supplement to prevent any of 82 health problems or conditions--81 specific conditions plus 1 residual "other" category--recognized by the 2007 NHIS. See VIT1PADD for the full list of conditions.

If the respondent indicated that the first vitamin/mineral supplement was used to prevent more than one condition (VIT1PCONNO), he or she was asked the question for VIT1PMOST: "For which one of these health problems or conditions did you take [fill: 1st vitamin] the most to prevent?" Interviewers were instructed, "If respondent cannot choose one condition, probe for condition most important for using [fill: 1st vitamin]."

With respondents who had taken more than one vitamin/mineral supplement during the past 30 days (i.e., for whom VITMOSUPNO was greater than 1) to prevent specific health problems (VIT2PREV), interviewers pursued a similar line of questioning about the specific health problems or conditions prevented by a second vitamin/mineral supplement (e.g., see VIT2PCONMOST).

Researchers interested in the conditions treated by vitamin/mineral supplements may wish to consult the following summary variables:

• Condition for which 1st vitamin supplement was taken to treat most (VIT1TCONMOST)

• Condition for which 2nd vitamin supplement was taken to treat most (VIT2TCONMOST)

For more information on the full range of variables related to vitamin and mineral supplements in 2007, see VITMO. For information on vitamin/mineral variables from other years, see VITYR and VITANY.