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VITAMIN C INTAKE: TYPES OF FOODS CONSUMED AND MEAL PATTERN DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN WITH HIGH OR LOW EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE
Author(s) -
Preston Alan M,
VazquezQuis Luis,
Perez Cynthia M,
Torres Ernesto Perez,
Rodriguez Cindy A
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a684-a
Subject(s) - meal , cotinine , vitamin , medicine , tobacco smoke , vitamin c , vitamin e , reference daily intake , dietary reference intake , smoke , physiology , food science , zoology , antioxidant , nicotine , environmental health , chemistry , nutrient , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Vitamin C is an antioxidant of major importance. Ample evidence exists for the detrimental effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on vitamin C status in exposed populatios, however there is no information on meal‐pattern differences in vitamin C intake between populations either exposed or not exposed to ETS. We assessed consumption of foods containing from zero to high amounts of vitamin C and determined contribution of regular meals and snacks to the daily intake of vitamin C in children with either high (HEX) or low (LEX) exposure to ETS. The study group consisted of 508 healthy children aged 2–13 years routinely visiting a clinic. Dietary intake of vitamin C was obtained with a 24‐hour recall questionnaire. Smoke exposure was assessed by measuring urinary cotinine. Children were divided into high and low exposure groups according to the mean value of cotinine. Both groups of children consumed well in excess of the RDA levels for vitamin C, but children with LEX had a significantly higher mean daily intake (123.4 mg) than HEX children (102.4 mg). Meal patterns showed that breakfast provided the greatest percent of daily vitamin C for both groups (31% for LEX, 36% for HEX). No differences were noted between groups in the percent of daily intake of vitamin C consumed at lunch or dinner (21% and 23% for LEX and 25% and 25% for HEX, respectively). The major difference in percent of daily intake as well as amount of intake was in snacks. Children with LEX consumed about 26% of their daily vitamin C by consuming snacks with high amounts of vitamin C while HEX children consumed only 15% of their daily vitamin C by consuming snacks with low amounts of vitamin C. Supported by NRI of USDA, CSREES, grant no. 94‐37200‐0602.