RESUMEN
Large epidemiologic studies suggest that diets rich in total or specific carotenoids are associated with a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. However, there are few studies characterizing trends in dietary carotenoid sources and intake among subgroups of the US adult population in the previous decade. This study aimed to assess these trends using data from 22,339 adults who participated in NHANES 2009-2018 cycles. Carotenoid intake and major food sources were calculated by linking food consumption data from the 24 h diet recall to an FNDDS 2009-2018 and the USDA's National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (Release 28). Among US adults, mean (SE) dietary carotenoid intake was 9687.1 (158.0) mcg/day, and total intake was highest in men, non-smokers, moderate alcohol consumers, supplement users, and those with normal BMI, a PIR ≥ 1.85, and whose physical activity level was considered vigorous (p < 0.05). Carotenoid intake has gradually decreased over the past decade (p-trend: 0.097), especially among White adults (p-trend < 0.05), males (p-trend: 0.062), and those with a PIR of 1.0-1.3 (p-trend: 0.051), as have estimated rates of vitamin A adequacy. Tomatoes, carrots, and spinach were major food sources of carotenoids, and consumption of carrots and tomatoes decreased, while the consumption of lettuce, spinach, and salsa increased from 2009 to 2018. Our results warrant further studies investigating the consequences of the decreased tendencies of carotenoid intake on chronic disease risk, especially focusing on population subgroups exhibiting low or decreasing trends of carotenoid intake status.
RESUMEN
Beneficial effects of blackcurrant supplementation on bone metabolism in mice has recently been demonstrated, but no studies are available in humans. The current study aimed to examine the dose-dependent effects of blackcurrant in preventing bone loss and the underlying mechanisms of action in adult women. Forty peri- and early postmenopausal women were randomly assigned into one of three treatment groups for 6 months: (1) a placebo (control group, n = 13); (2) 392 mg/day of blackcurrant powder (low blackcurrant, BC, group, n = 16); and (3) 784 mg/day of blackcurrant powder (high BC group, n = 11). The significance of differences in outcome variables was tested by repeated-measures ANOVA with treatment and time as between- and within-subject factors, respectively. Overall, blackcurrant supplementation decreased the loss of whole-body bone mineral density (BMD) compared to the control group (p < 0.05), though the improvement of whole-body BMD remained significant only in the high BC group (p < 0.05). Blackcurrant supplementation also led to a significant increase in serum amino-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP), a marker of bone formation (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that daily consumption of 784 mg of blackcurrant powder for six months mitigates the risk of postmenopausal bone loss, potentially through enhancing bone formation. Further studies of larger samples with various skeletal conditions are warranted to confirm these findings.