title: Evaluating the relationship between plasma and skin carotenoids and reported dietary intake in elementary school children to assess fruit and vegetable intake.
abstract: Accurate assessment of dietary intake of children can be challenging due to the limited reliability of current dietary assessment methods. Plasma carotenoid concentration has been used to assess fruit and vegetable intake, but this testing is rarely conducted in school settings in children. Resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) is emerging as a useful method to objectively assess fruit and vegetable intake. This methodology has been validated in adults, but limited work has been done in children, particularly in the school setting. The purpose of this research is to further validate the RRS methodology in children. Children (9-12 year) participating in a school-based intervention were recruited. Plasma carotenoids were quantified using HPLC, skin carotenoid status was measured using RRS, and dietary intake of carotenoids was measured with the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire Ages 8-17. Total plasma carotenoid concentrations and skin carotenoid intensities were strongly correlated (r=0.62, p<0.001, n=38). Reported total carotenoid intake correlated with skin carotenoids (r=0.40, p<0.0001, n=128). Skin carotenoid status as measured by RRS can be a strong predictor of plasma carotenoid status and dietary intake of carotenoids in children. RRS may be used as a valid, non-invasive, and useful method to assess fruit and vegetable intakes in this population.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition, United States; Center for Nutrition in Schools, United States. Electronic address: lmnguyen@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Lori M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition, United States; Center for Nutrition in Schools, United States. Electronic address: rescherr@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Scherr
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition, United States; Center for Nutrition in Schools, United States.
authors.forename: Jessica D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Linnell
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Department of Physics and Astronomy, United States. Electronic address: ermakov@physics.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Igor V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Ermakov
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Department of Physics and Astronomy, United States. Electronic address: werner@physics.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gellermann
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Grand Forks, United States. Electronic address: Lisa.Jahns@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jahns
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition, United States; University of California, Davis, Department of Internal Medicine, United States. Electronic address: clkeen@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Carl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Keen
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, United States. Electronic address: sheridan.miyamoto@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Sheridan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition, United States. Electronic address: fmsteinberg@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Francene M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, United States. Electronic address: heather.young@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Nutrition, United States; Center for Nutrition in Schools, United States; University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Cooperative Extension, United States. Electronic address: sazidenbergcherr@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zidenberg-Cherr
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002338:Carotenoids
keywords: Biomarkers; Carotenoids; Dietary assessment; Raman spectroscopy; Validation