Low serum concentrations of carotenoids and vitamin E are associated with high adiposity in Mexican-American children

J Nutr. 2014 Apr;144(4):489-95. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.183137. Epub 2014 Feb 5.

Abstract

Mexican-American children have a high prevalence of overweight/obesity. Micronutrient deficiencies may be contributing to the development of greater adiposity in these children. This study investigated the relations between adiposity and serum concentrations of carotenoids, retinol, and vitamin E among Mexican-American children 8-15 y of age included in the 2001-2004 U.S. NHANES. Associations of the outcomes of children's body mass index (BMI), truncal fat mass (TrFM), and total body fat mass (TBFM) with serum concentrations of α-carotene, cis-β-carotene, trans-β-carotene, retinol, and α-tocopherol were determined by using linear, quantile, and multinomial regression models. BMI was inversely associated with serum concentrations of α-carotene (β = -0.88, P < 0.05), trans-β-carotene (β = -2.21, P < 0.01), cis-β-carotene (β = -2.10, P < 0.01), and α-tocopherol adjusted for total cholesterol ratio (β = -3.66, P < 0.01), respectively. Similar inverse associations were found with TrFM and TBFM. Higher cis-β-carotene and α-tocopherol serum concentrations were associated with reduced probability of overweight (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.89; P < 0.05; and OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.86; P < 0.05; respectively) and obesity (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.26, 0.58; P < 0.01; and OR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.24, 0.60; P < 0.01; respectively). Higher retinol serum concentrations were associated with increased probability of overweight and obesity (OR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.26, 3.22; P < 0.01; and OR: 2.90; 95% CI: 1.65, 5.09; P < 0.01; respectively). Significant inverse associations were found between serum concentrations of carotenoids and vitamin E and adiposity among Mexican-American children, but serum retinol concentrations were positively associated with adiposity. Future research is needed to understand the causes and consequences of micronutrient status on adiposity and comorbidities.

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Fat / pathology
  • Adiposity*
  • Adolescent
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Body Mass Index
  • Carotenoids / blood*
  • Carotenoids / deficiency
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mexican Americans
  • Nutrition Surveys
  • Obesity / complications*
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Obesity / pathology
  • Overweight / complications*
  • Overweight / epidemiology
  • Overweight / etiology
  • Overweight / pathology
  • Prevalence
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Vitamin A / adverse effects
  • Vitamin A / blood
  • Vitamin E / blood*
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / complications*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin E
  • Carotenoids