Higher Carotenoid Intake Lowers Metabolic Syndrome Risk

UTRECHT, Netherlands—Higher total carotenoid intakes, mainly those of beta-carotene and lycopene, were associated with a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome and with lower measures of adiposity and serum triglyceride concentrations in middle-aged and elderly men in a study at the University Medical Center Utrecht (J Nutr. 2009;139(5):987-92). Researchers conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study in 374 men aged 40 to 80 years. Intakes of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin were estimated using a validated FFQ. Metabolic syndrome was present in 22 percednt of the men. After adjustment for confounders, total carotenoid and lycopene intakes were inversely associated with presence of metabolic syndrome. For beta-carotene, a decreased risk was observed for each quartile of intake compared with the. Higher total carotenoid, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lycopene intakes were associated with lower waist circumferences and visceral and subcutaneous fat mass. Higher lycopene intake was related to lower serum triglyceride concentrations.