title: Factors associated with serum/plasma concentrations of vitamins A, C, E and carotenoids in older people throughout Europe: the EUREYE study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on plasma/serum levels of antioxidant vitamin and carotenoids in older adults resident in multiple countries in Europe and examine relationships with potential modifiers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cross-sectional European Eye Study in 7 centres from northern to southern Europe. In total, 4,133 participants aged 65 years or over, collected by random sampling, were recruited. Questionnaires relating to diet, lifestyle and medical history were administered. Non-fasting blood samples were analysed in a single laboratory for vitamins A, C and E and a panel of carotenoids. Associations were analysed by bootstrapped multivariable regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Centre and season influenced the serum and plasma concentrations of all antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids. Gender, BMI, smoking, age, education, alcohol consumption and supplement use were also significantly associated with some, but not all, of the antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids examined. The proportion of variance explained ranged from 4.8 % for retinol to 25.2 % for zeaxanthin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In older people, antioxidant vitamin and carotenoid status varies by centre and season, but is also associated with other behavioural and lifestyle variables. Studies aiming to demonstrate an association between antioxidant vitamins and carotenoid status and chronic disease risk should consider these potential confounders.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK. j.woodside@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Woodside
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: S E C M
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vioque
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Chakravarthy
authors.forename: P T V M
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seland
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soubrane
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tomazzoli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Topouzis
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vingerling
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000097:blood; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid