title: Free radical and antioxidant status in urban and rural Tirupati men: interaction with nutrient intake, substance abuse, obesity and body fat distribution.
abstract: Rapid growth in urbanisation and industrialisation causes exposure to toxicant pollution which may contribute to increased incidences of non-communicable diseases. The present study reports on plasma lipid peroxides (LPO), lymphocyte free radicals, antioxidants and DNA damage in relation to life-style, obesity and body fat distribution measures among 56 urban men and 45 age matched rural men. Significant increases in plasma LPO, free radical generation (superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide), and DNA damage indicated by malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were observed in urban compared to rural men. In vitro assay of DNA damage showed a higher level of MDA in samples of urban men than those of rural men. There were no significant differences in antioxidant enzymes between urban and rural men. Neither body mass index nor fat distribution had a significant influence on free radical generation, while the habits of smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with increased levels of free radicals, plasma LPO and DNA damage and reduced levels of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in urban men. Dietary energy and fat intakes were positively correlated with free radical generation. Both superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide were positively correlated with LPO and DNA damage, and negatively correlated with antioxidant enzymes in urban men. The marked elevation of free radical generation, LPO, DNA damage and depletion in antioxidant levels in urban men may suggest that exposure to environmental toxicant pollution is a risk factor for oxidative damage. It was of interest in this study that, whilst BMI was not greater in urban than rural men, abdominal fatness was. Hypothetically, fat distribution could be altered by the process of oxidative damage if it altered regulation of metabolically active omental fat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, India.
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramamurthy
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Somasekaraiah
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rao