Status of Use of Protein Supplement Products according to the Health Concerns of Adults in Their 20s and 30s

This study investigated the use of protein supplement products according to the health consciousness of adults in their 20s and 30s. A survey was conducted on 478 adult men and women who had experience of eating protein supplement products. The survey covered the aspects of health consciousness, protein-related nutritional knowledge, the purchase status of protein supplement products, and intake frequency. The results showed that men were more health consciousness than women. The group with high health consciousness was more likely to exercise more than five times a week. The high health consciousness group had a higher average score of protein-related nutritional knowledge compared to the group with low health consciousness. The consumption frequency and interest in protein supplementation products were higher in the group with high health consciousness. Both groups stated that the reasons for purchasing protein supplement products were body improvement and muscle development. However, a higher proportion of the high health consciousness group purchased these products. The most preferred protein supplement product type was the powder form, and this preference was higher in the high health consciousness group. The factors considered by the high health consciousness group when purchasing protein supplement products were the presence of the maximum preferred ingredient type and content. However, taste and aroma bore a higher significance for the low health consciousness group. Thus, the results showed that when the level of health consciousness was high, protein-related nutritional knowledge was high, and the frequency of intake of protein supplement products and interest in these products were high. As such, there are differences in nutritional knowledge and the use of protein supplement products according to health consciousness. Hence, it is necessary to provide accurate information on protein supplement products and avoid their indiscriminate use due to trend following.