title: Antioxidant intake, oxidative stress and inflammation among immigrant women from the Middle East living in Sweden: associations with cardiovascular risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Immigrant women from the Middle East have higher cardiovascular risk compared to native women. Whether low antioxidant intake, oxidative stress or inflammation contributes to risk is unknown. In a cross-sectional study of 157 randomly selected foreign-born women (Iranian and Turkish) and native women living in Sweden, we investigated antioxidant status, oxidative stress (F(2)-isoprostanes) and systemic inflammation (plasma high sensitive C-reactive protein; CRP) markers. We also investigated relationships between F(2)-isoprostanes, CRP and cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dietary intake was assessed using 24-h dietary recalls repeated four times. Micronutrient intake was not consistently different between groups. Serum alpha-tocopherol, but not gamma-tocopherol levels, was lower in Turkish vs. Swedish women (P<0.05). Turkish women had the highest F(2)-isoprostane levels (P<0.05 vs. Iranian women) and CRP levels (P<0.01 vs. Swedish women and P=0.05 vs. Iranian women). In immigrants (n=97), F(2)-isoprostanes correlated positively to insulin levels (r=0.31, P<0.01), and CRP was correlated to obesity and several cardiovascular risk factors (r-values >0.21, P values <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The role of antioxidant status is unclear, whereas signs of oxidative stress and inflammation are evident in immigrant women from Middle East, especially Turkish women. Oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation might contribute to the higher cardiovascular risk previously observed in immigrant women. Further larger studies adjusting for more potential confounders are motivated to confirm these results.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala Science Park, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. achraf.daryani@pubcare.uu.se
authors.forename: Achraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daryani
authors.forename: Samar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Wulf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Risérus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes / Q000097:blood; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007492:Iran / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes; D002097:C-Reactive Protein