Original Article
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61, 1011–1022; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602615; published online 14 February 2007
Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores
Guarantor: IR Rowland.
Contributors: The study was designed and supervised by IRR, YAB, SH, JP, JF. IB contributed to statistical design and PJR contributed to nutritional assessment design. SH was the primary conduct of this study and carried out the blood sample analyses, data interpretation and preparation the manuscript. All authors contributed to the revision of this manuscript.
S Haldar1, I R Rowland1, Y A Barnett1,3, I Bradbury1, P J Robson1,4, J Powell2 and J Fletcher2
- 1Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Londonderry, UK
- 2Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Sharnbrook, Bedford, UK
- 3College of Science and Technology, The Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham, UK
- 4Division of Population Health and Information, Alberta Cancer Board, Calgary, AB, Canada
Correspondence: Dr S Haldar, Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT52 1SA, UK. E-mail: s.haldar@ulster.ac.uk
Received 3 July 2006; Revised 15 November 2006; Accepted 15 November 2006; Published online 14 February 2007.
Abstract
Background:
Antioxidant status can be used as a biomarker to assess chronic disease risk and diet can modulate antioxidant defence.
Objective:
To examine effects of vegetarian diet and variations in the habitual intakes of foods and nutrients on blood antioxidants.
Subjects and Setting:
Thirty-one vegetarians (including six vegans) and 58 omnivores, non-smokers, in Northern Ireland.
Design:
A diet history method was used to assess habitual diet. Antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids, uric acid, zinc- and ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) were measured in fasting plasma and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured in erythrocytes.
Results:
Vegetarians had approximately 15% higher levels of plasma carotenoids compared with omnivores, including lutein (P
0.05), 
-cryptoxanthin P0.05), lycopene (NS), -carotene (NS) and 
-carotene (NS). The levels/activities of all other antioxidants measured were similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Total intake of fruits, vegetables and fruit juices was positively associated with plasma levels of several carotenoids and vitamin C. Intake of vegetables was positively associated with plasma lutein, -cryptoxanthin, -carotene and -carotene, whereas intake of fruits was positively associated with plasma -cryptoxanthin. Intake of tea and wine was positively associated with FRAP value, whereas intake of herbal tea associated positively with plasma vitamin C. Intakes of meat and fish were positively associated with plasma uric acid and FRAP value.
Conclusions:
The overall antioxidant status was similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Good correlations were found between intakes of carotenoids and their respective status in blood.
Keywords:
habitual diet, antioxidants, foods, nutrients, vegetarians, omnivores
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