title: Comparison of serum concentration and dietary intake of alpha-tocopherol in a sample of urban and rural Costa Rican adolescents.
abstract: Results from several studies have suggested that vitamin E intake could inhibit the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate Costa Rican adolescents' serum alpha-tocopherol levels and their correlation with Body Mass Index (BMI) and the dietary intake of vitamin E and saturated and polyunsaturated fat. Ninety-five healthy, non-smoking adolescents and non-vitamin supplement users (aged 13-18) from urban and rural areas in San José, Costa Rica, were included in this study. Serum levels of lipid adjusted alpha-tocopherol were significantly higher in rural adolescents compared with urban youngsters (4.192 mumol/mmol +/- 0.831 and 3.486 mumol/mmol +/- 0.996, respectively). Likewise, reported mean daily 1000 kcal adjusted-vitamin E intake was higher in rural adolescents than in urban youngsters (9.2 +/- 3.7 mg. 16.0 +/- 8.7 mg). An important correlation was observed between intake of energy from saturated fat and adjusted-alpha-tocopherol serum levels (r = 0.430). Contrariwise, they correlated poorly with dietary alpha-tocopherol (r = 0.273), suggesting that serum is not a good biomarket of intake for alpha-tocopherol. Additionally, our results showed a negative relationship between BMI and adjusted-serum vitamin E levels (beta = 0.189; CI 95% -0.153, -0.013). The analysis of vitamin E intake showed that over 25% of adolescents have inadequate intake of the nutrient. This study suggests that nutritionists and pediatricians should encourage alpha-tocopherol intake and monitor the food sources of the nutrient and the adolescents' body weight as part of the strategies aimed at developing a healthy lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Costa Rican Institute for Research and Education on Nutrition and Health (INCIENSA), Tres Ríos, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monge-Rojas
authors.forename: Thelma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alfaro Calvo
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nuñez Rivas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003364:Costa Rica; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002149:Energy Intake; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D014810:Vitamin E; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol