Associations between Dietary Antioxidant Intake and Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between dietary antioxidant intake (carotenoid, vitamin C, E and selenium) intake and metabolic syndrome (MS). METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 2069 subjects undergoing a regular health checkup. Biochemical test results and data on dietary intakes were collected for analysis. Adjustment for energy intake and multi-variable logistic regression were performed to determine adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for the relationship between dietary antioxidants intake and MS. The lowest quartile of antioxidant intake was regarded as the reference category. RESULT: Dietary vitamin C intake (P values for trend were 0.02 in energy adjusted analysis and 0.08 in multivariable adjusted analysis) had a negative association with MS, as did selenium intake in the second quartile (energy adjusted OR: 0.60, 95%CI: 0.43 to 0.85; multivariable adjusted OR: 0.60, 95%CI: 0.43 to 0.86). However, there was no significant relationship between dietary carotenoid and vitamin E intake and MS. CONCLUSION: Subjects with low intake of vitamin C might be predisposed to development of MS, while dietary selenium intake had a moderate negative association with MS. Dietary carotenoid and vitamin E intake was not associated with MS.