Dietary carotenoids and risk of coronary artery disease in women

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies have shown that higher intakes or higher btood concentrations of carotenes are associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Given the null results in trials of β-carotene supplementation, considerable attention has focused on the potential role of other dietary carotenoids in the prevention of CAD. Objective: Our objective was to prospectively examine the relation between dietary intakes of specific carotenoids and risk of CAD in women. Design: In 1984, 73 286 female nurses completed a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire that assessed their consumption of carotenoids and various other nutrients. The women were followed for 12 y for the development of incident CAD (nonfatal myocardial infarction and fatal CAD), and dietary information was updated in 1986, 1990, and 1994. Results: During 12 y of follow-up (803590 person-years), we identified 998 incident cases of CAD. After adjustment for age, smoking, and other CAD risk factors, we observed modest but significant inverse associations between the highest quintiles of intake of β-carotene and α-carotene and risk of CAD but no significant relation with intakes of lutein/zeaxanthin, lycopene, or β-cryptoxanthin. For women in the highest compared with the respective lowest quintile of intake, the relative risks for β-carotene and α-carotene were 0.74 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.93) and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.99), respectively. The association between the specific carotenoids and CAD risk did not vary significantly by current smoking status. Conclusion: Higher intakes of foods rich in α-carotene or β-carotene are associated with a reduction in risk of CAD.