title: Dietary intake of carotenoids and risk of type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carotenoids may reduce diabetes risk, due to their antioxidant properties. However, the association between dietary carotenoids intake and type 2 diabetes risk is still unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine whether higher dietary carotenoid intakes associate with reduced type 2 diabetes risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 37,846 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition- Netherlands study were analyzed. Dietary intakes of β-carotene, α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein & zeaxanthin and the sum of these carotenoids were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Incident type 2 diabetes was mainly self-reported, and verified against general practitioner information. Mean ±SD total carotenoid intake was 10 ± 4 mg/day. During a mean ±SD follow-up of 10 ± 2 years, 915 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were ascertained. After adjustment for age, sex, diabetes risk factors, dietary intake, waist circumference and BMI, higher β-carotene intakes associated inversely with diabetes risk [Hazard Ratio quartile 4 versus quartile 1 (HR(Q4)): 0.78 (95%CI:0.64,0.95), P-linear trend 0.01]. For α-carotene, a borderline significant reduced risk was observed, with a HR(Q4) of 0.85 (95%CI:0.70,1.03), and P-linear trend 0.05. β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein & zeaxanthin, and the sum of all carotenoids did not associate with diabetes risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that diets high in β-carotene and α-carotene are associated with reduced type 2 diabetes in generally healthy men and women.
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: i.sluijs-2@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sluijs
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cadier
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J W J
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Beulens
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: van der A
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A M W
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Spijkerman
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: van der Schouw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D065366:Cryptoxanthins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D014975:Lutein / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D065146:Zeaxanthins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein
keywords: Carotenoids; Cohort study; Diet; Type 2 diabetes; α-carotene; β-carotene