title: Serum carotenoid levels vary by marital status.
abstract: This study examined differences in serum carotenoid levels by marital status. The design was a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of 16,597 participants ages 18 years and older from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The main outcome measures were serum levels of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, lycopene, and total carotenoids. Multivariate linear regression was used to model the association of serum carotenoids and marital status by sex and age with adjustments made for age, race/ethnicity, years of education, household income, body mass index, alcohol use, physical activity, serum cotinine, serum cholesterol, and vitamin/mineral supplement use. Among men, never married marital status was associated with lower total carotenoid levels (mean 66.16 microg/dL, P=0.05), lutein/zeaxanthin (mean 15.57 microg/dL [0.27 micromol/L], P=0.01), and lycopene (mean 24.28 microg/dL [0.45 micromol/L], P=0.00) compared to married marital status among men. Divorced marital status was associated with lower lycopene levels (mean 24.23 microg/dL [0.45 micromol/L], P=0.00) compared to married men. Compared to married men, widowed marital status was associated with lower alpha-carotene (mean 2.47 microg/dL [0.05 micromol/L], P=0.02), beta-carotene (mean 11.52 microg/dL [0.21 micromol/L], P=0.04), and lycopene levels (mean 25.15 microg/dL [0.47 micromol/L], P=0.04). Among women, widowed marital status was associated with lower levels of total carotenoids (mean 62.72 microg/dL, P=0.01), alpha-carotene (mean 1.85 microg/dL [0.03 micromol/L], P=0.01), beta-carotene (mean 11.57 microg/dL [0.22 micromol/L], P=0.03), and lutein/zeaxanthin (mean 17.50 microg/dL [0.31 micromol/L], P=0.05) compared to married women. Our conclusion is that serum carotenoid levels varied by marital status, and widowed men and women were at the greatest risk of low carotenoid levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA. jstimpso@hsc.unt.edu
authors.forename: Jim P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Stimpson
authors.forename: Nuha A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Lackan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D014975:Lutein / Q000097:blood; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014675:Vegetables; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000097:blood; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein