title: Insulin resistance and adiposity in relation to serum β-carotene levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of placebo vs an encapsulated supplement of fruit and vegetable juice concentrate (FVJC) on serum β-carotene levels, insulin resistance, adiposity, and subclinical inflammation in boys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty age-matched prepubertal boys (9 lean and 21 overweight (OW); age range, 6-10 years) were studied. All participants received nutrition counseling and were randomized to receive FVJC or placebo capsules for 6 months. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, lipid corrected β-carotene, serum retinol, glucose, insulin, retinol binding protein-4, leptin, adiponectin, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 were measured before and after the 6-month intervention. Homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), acute insulin response to intravenous glucose, along with abdominal fat mass (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline β-carotene concentrations correlated inversely with HOMA-IR, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, and abdominal fat mass (P ≤ .01). FVJC intake increased β-carotene concentrations (P ≤ .001) but did not influence retinol or retinol binding protein-4. Retinol insufficiency <1.047 μM was present in 18% of the entire cohort at baseline and in 37% at 6 months. HOMA-IR decreased after supplementation in the OW cohort, when adjusted for percent weight change (P = .014). The percent change in abdominal fat mass increased in the placebo group and decreased in the FVJC group (P = .029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 6-month supplementation with FVJC in the presence of nutritional counseling was associated with an increase in serum β-carotene concentrations and a reduction in adiposity in conjunction with an improvement in insulin resistance in OW boys.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nemours Children's Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32207, USA. jcanas@nemours.org
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Canas
authors.forename: Ligeia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Damaso
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altomare
authors.forename: Kelleigh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Killen
authors.forename: Jobayer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: Prabhakaran Babu
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Balagopal
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D014675:Vegetables; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene