title: Relationship between serum carotenoids and hyperglycemia: a population-based cross-sectional study.
abstract: The present study investigated the relationship between hyperglycemia and both serum carotenoids and intake of vegetables and fruits. Subjects with a history of diabetes mellitus (DM group, n = 133) or with hyperglycemia diagnosed using a 5.6% cutoff value for hemoglobin A1c (High HbA1c group, n = 151) were recruited from among inhabitants of a rural area in Hokkaido, Japan. Intake frequencies of vegetables and fruits were assessed using a questionnaire administered by public health nurses. Serum levels of carotenoids and retinol were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The relationships between high HbA1c or DM and both serum carotenoids and intake frequencies of vegetables and fruits were analyzed using logistic regression modeling for a case-control study; each case (High HbA1c or DM) was matched to two controls (healthy subjects without any history of disease) matched for sex and age (within 3 years). The odds ratio (OR) for high HbA1c was 0.49 (95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.85) on high intake frequency of carrot and pumpkin and the OR for DM was 1.21 (95% Cl: 0.79-1.84). No significant relationships were observed between high HbA1c and intake frequencies of other vegetables and fruits. The ORs on high serum levels of alpha- and beta-carotenes, lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin and lutein were 0.38 (0.22-0.65), 0.35 (0.21-0.59), 0.57 (0.35-0.93), 0.35 (0.20-0.59), and 0.88 (0.54-1.46) for high HbA1c, respectively. In conclusion, intake of vegetables and fruits rich in carotenoids might be a protective factor against hyperglycemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Sayuri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood*; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002338:Carotenoids; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin