Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND: Differences in dietary and supplementary intake of antioxidants were determine between different categories of smokers and never-smokers. METHODS: Data from a large, cross-sectional, population-based study were used. Subjects (n = 4244) were divided into five smoking categories according to the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Differences in intake of antioxidants or frequency of supplement use were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounders such as age, body mass index, education level, alcohol intake, and total energy intake. RESULTS: Men who smoked > 20 cigarettes/day had significantly lower intakes of beta-carotene and especially ascorbic acid compared to those who never smoked, resulting from an almost 60% lower fruit intake. Moderate and heavy smoking women also had lower ascorbic acid and fruit intake but differences were not as large as in men. A higher percentage of female heavy smokers compared with never-smokers consumed vitamin C (21.1% versus 14.1%), vitamin E (5.6% versus 1.8%), and multivitamin supplements (18.5% versus 12.2%). Among men only the moderate smokers differed significantly from never-smokers in supplement intake, in the sense that male moderate smokers had a higher percentage of multivitamin use (15.3% versus 12.2%) compared to never-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Male heavy smokers not only have a lower dietary antioxidant intake than never-smokers, but additionally seem to use supplementation relatively infrequently.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Int J Epidemiol

Publication Date

02/1996

Volume

25

Pages

70 - 79

Keywords

Adult, Analysis of Variance, Antioxidants, Ascorbic Acid, Carotenoids, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet, Female, Fruit, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Random Allocation, Regression Analysis, Smoking, Vegetables, Vitamins