title: Dietary sources of vitamin C, vitamin E and specific carotenoids in Spain.
abstract: A cross-sectional study was conducted within the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation in Cancer and Nutrition to assess the principal food sources of vitamin C, vitamin E, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in an adult Spanish population. The study included 41446 healthy volunteers (25812 women and 15634 men), aged 29-69 years, from three Spanish regions in the north (Asturias, Navarra and Guipúzcoa) and two in the south (Murcia and Granada). Usual food intake was estimated by personal interview through a computerized version of a dietary history questionnaire. Foods that provided at least two-thirds of the studied nutrients were: fruits (mainly oranges) (51 %) and fruiting vegetables (mainly tomato and sweet pepper) (20 %) for vitamin C; vegetable oils (sunflower and olive) (40 %), non-citrus fruits (10 %), and nuts and seeds (8 %) for vitamin E; root vegetables (carrots) (82 %) for alpha-carotene; green leafy (28 %), root (24 %) and fruiting vegetables (22 %) for beta-carotene; fruiting vegetables (fresh tomato) (72 %) for lycopene; green leafy vegetables (64 %) for lutein; citrus fruits (68 %) for beta-cryptoxanthin; citrus fruits (43 %) and green leafy vegetables (20 %) for zeaxanthin. In conclusion, the main food sources of nutrients with redox properties have been identified in a Mediterranean country. This could provide an insight into the interpretation of epidemiological studies investigating the role of diet in health and disease.
authors.affiliation: Institut Català d'Oncologia, 08907 Barcelona, Spain. rgarcia@ico.scs.es
authors.forename: Reina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Closas
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berenguer
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: José Tormo
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: José Sánchez
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Quirós
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arnaud
authors.forename: Miren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorronsoro
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolores Chirlaque
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barricarte
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ardanaz
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amiano
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agudo
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: González
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain; D014675:Vegetables; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein