The use of herbs and other nonvitamin supplements (which exclude mineral supplements, homeopathic treatments, and herbal or green teas) is most prevalent the Mountain (28.7%), Pacific (23.3%), and West North Central (23.1%) regions.
Following supplements, the next most popular complementary health practices were chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation (8.5%), yoga (8.4%) and massage therapy (6.8%). Other approaches commonly used by adults in 2012 include meditation (4.1%) and special diets (3.0%).
Complementary health approaches are defined as a range of medical and healthcare interventions, practices, products, or disciplines that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. They comprise both practitioner-based (e.g., chiropractic treatment) approaches and predominantly self-care (e.g., yoga and supplements) approaches.
The Middle Atlantic (13.6%), West South Central (13.6%), and South Atlantic (13.1%) regions had the lowest percentage of adults using nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements, while use of nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements in the East South Central (15.8%) and East North Central (19.5%) regions did not differ from the percentage for the nation as a whole (17.9%).
The report used data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey adult alternative medicine supplement of adults aged 18 and over in nine geographic regions.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
“Regional variation in use of complementary health approaches by US adults”
Authors: Jennifer A. Peregoy, M.P.H.; Tainya C. Clarke, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Lindsey I. Jones, M.P.H.; Barbara J. Stussman, B.A.; and Richard L. Nahin, Ph.D., M.P.H.