Serum concentrations of beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc and selenium are influenced by sex, age, diet, smoking status, alcohol consumption and corpulence in a general French adult population.
OBJECTIVE
To assess relationships between energy, nutrient and food intakes, alcohol consumption, smoking status and body mass index (BMI), and serum concentrations of beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, selenium and zinc.


METHODS
Data on health status, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, anthropometric data and biochemical measurements were obtained in 1821 women aged 35-60 y and 1307 men aged 45-60 y, participant to the SU.VI.MAX Study. Data on dietary intake were available on a subsample who reported six 24-h dietary records during the first 18 months of the study.


RESULTS
Women had higher baseline serum beta-carotene and vitamin C concentrations and lower concentration for serum vitamin E, zinc and selenium than men. In women, younger age was associated with lowered mean concentration of serum beta-carotene, vitamin E and selenium. In men, only differences were observed for serum zinc, which was lower in older men. Current smokers of both sexes had significantly lower concentrations of serum beta-carotene, vitamin C and selenium, and, only in women, of vitamin E, than nonsmokers. Alcohol consumers had lower concentrations of serum beta-carotene and higher selenium concentrations. Serum beta-carotene and vitamin C concentrations were lower in obese subjects. There were positive associations of dietary beta-carotene, vitamin C and E with their serum concentrations. Age, nutrient and alcohol intakes, serum cholesterol, BMI and smoking status explained 15.2% of the variance of serum beta-carotene in men and 13.9% in women, and 10.8 and 10.0% for serum vitamin C, and 26.3 and 28.6% for serum vitamin E, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum antioxidant nutrient concentrations are primarily influenced by sex, age, obesity, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and especially dietary intake of those antioxidant nutrients.
Galan
P
P
U557 Inserm (UMR Inserm/Inra/CNAM), Institut Scientifique et Technique de la Nutrition et de l'Alimentation/CNAM, Paris, France. pilar.galan@cnam.fr
Viteri
F E
FE
Bertrais
S
S
Czernichow
S
S
Faure
H
H
Arnaud
J
J
Ruffieux
D
D
Chenal
S
S
Arnault
N
N
Favier
A
A
Roussel
A-M
AM
Hercberg
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D014131:Trace Elements; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc; D001205:Ascorbic Acid