Serum Carotenoids Reveal Poor Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Schoolchildren in Burkina Faso

Abstract

The health benefits of fruits and vegetables are well-documented. Those rich in provitamin A carotenoids are good sources of vitamin A. This cross-sectional study indirectly assessed fruit and vegetable intakes using serum carotenoids in 193 schoolchildren aged 7 to 12 years in the Western part of Burkina Faso. The mean total serum carotenoid concentration was 0.23 ± 0.29 µmol/L, which included α- and β-carotene, lutein, and β-cryptoxanthin, and determined with serum retinol concentrations in a single analysis with high performance liquid chromatography. Serum retinol concentration was 0.80 ± 0.35 µmol/L with 46% of children (n = 88) having low values <0.7 µmol/L. Total serum carotene (the sum of α- and β-carotene) concentration was 0.13 ± 0.24 µmol/L, well below the reference range of 0.9–3.7 µmol carotene/L used to assess habitual intake of fruits and vegetables. Individual carotenoid concentrations were determined for α-carotene (0.01 ± 0.05 µmol/L), β-carotene (0.17 ± 0.24 µmol/L), β-cryptoxanthin (0.07 ± 0.06 µmol/L), and lutein (0.06 ± 0.05 µmol/L). These results confirm the previously measured high prevalence of low serum vitamin A concentrations and adds information about low serum carotenoids among schoolchildren suggesting that they have low intakes of provitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables.

Multivariate Analysis Reveals That Unsubstituted β-Ring and C8-Keto Structures Are Important Factors for Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Carotenoids

“…The plasma carotenoid concentration was reported to be about hundreds nM in a healthy human [26,27]. Nakagawa et al reported that the plasma β-carotene concentration in Japanese women was about 1.6 µM [28].…”

Bioactive Properties of Carotenoids in Human Health

“…Therefore, the early identification of this deficiency is crucial to prevent life-lasting consequences or even death. This exciting topic is the main focus of Bationo’s paper, where the authors correlate the intake and plasma levels of pro-vitamin A carotenoids, and their association with vitamin A status among children in Burkina Faso [26].…”

Improving Skin Carotenoid Levels in Young Students through Brief Dietary Education Using the Veggie Meter

“…Briefly, VM detects dermal carotenoids that are highly correlated with serum carotenoid concentrations measured by HPLC [ 26 ]. Serum or plasma carotenoid concentrations are well-established as biomarkers of V/F intake [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Therefore, the SC levels measured by VM can well serve as a biomarker for V/F intake [ 35 , 36 ].…”

“…However, a possible problem associated with this approach is that intimate assessments take time, labor, and cost, whereas simple assessments are deemed inaccurate. Measuring biomarkers is an alternative method of assessing V/F intake, and blood carotenoid concentration is one of the useful biomarkers for V/F intake [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Although plasma or serum carotenoid concentrations can be accurate measures, taking blood samples is mildly invasive and costly.…”