Users of complementary medicine generally maintain a healthy lifestyle

Introduction: It is known that sociodemographic factors are related to the use of complementary medicine (CM). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of health behaviours in this context. Methods: Data of the representative Swiss Health Survey 2012 (18'357 respondents aged 15 years or older) was obtained from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. A CM user was defined as someone who had used at least one CM method (practitioner delivered not self-care) within 12 months before the survey. Logistic regression analysis was performed with CM use as the dependent variable and health behaviours as independent variables (adjusted for gender, age group, education). Results: Non-smokers (odds ratio, OR, 1.191, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.077–1.317), people not eating meat (OR 1.528, CI 1.152–2.027), people who had never received a flu shot (OR 1.186, CI 1.078–1.306), were physically active (OR 1.441, CI 1.216–1.707), or ate at least 5 portions of fruit/vegetables per day (OR 1.498, CI 1.338–1.677) were more likely to use CM than smokers, people eating meat, having received a flu shot, being physically inactive or eating 2 portions or less of fruit/vegetables, respectively. People who were adipose (OR 0.772, CI 0.656–0.909) or never consumed alcohol (OR 0.686, CI 0.585–0.805) were less likely to use CM than people with normal body mass index or who drank alcohol regularly. Conclusion: CM users generally engaged in positive health behaviours (such as not smoking, being physically active, eating 5 portions of fruit/vegetables per day) and had fewer risk factors compared to non-users