Objective: To assess relationships between energy, nutrient and food intakes, alcohol consumption, smoking status and body mass index (BMI), and serum concentrations of b-carotene, a-tocopherol, vitamin C, selenium and zinc. Methods: Data on health status, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, anthropometric data and biochemical measurements were obtained in 1821 women aged 35-60 y and 1307 men aged 45-60 y, participant to the SU.VI.MAX Study. Data on dietary intake were available on a subsample who reported six 24-h dietary records during the first 18 months of the study. Results: Women had higher baseline serum b-carotene and vitamin C concentrations and lower concentration for serum vitamin E, zinc and selenium than men. In women, younger age was associated with lowered mean concentration of serum b-carotene, vitamin E and selenium. In men, only differences were observed for serum zinc, which was lower in older men. Current smokers of both sexes had significantly lower concentrations of serum b-carotene, vitamin C and selenium, and, only in women, of vitamin E, than nonsmokers. Alcohol consumers had lower concentrations of serum b-carotene and higher selenium concentrations. Serum b-carotene and vitamin C concentrations were lower in obese subjects. There were positive associations of dietary b-carotene, vitamin C and E with their serum concentrations. Age, nutrient and alcohol intakes, serum cholesterol, BMI and smoking status explained 15.2% of the variance of serum b-carotene in men and 13.9% in women, and 10.8 and 10.0% for serum vitamin C, and 26.3 and 28.6% for serum vitamin E, respectively. Conclusion: Serum antioxidant nutrient concentrations are primarily influenced by sex, age, obesity, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and especially dietary intake of those antioxidant nutrients. IntroductionCigarette smoking, obesity and some dietary patterns are well-known risk factors for both cardiovascular disease and cancer (WCRF/AIC; Kromhout, 2001). Yet, in the past several years, an increasing number of basic and clinical studies have pointed to the role of the reactive metabolites of oxygen, the free radicals, in these pathological processes, and the potential protective effect of antioxidant nutrients such as bcarotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and zinc (Ames, Halliwell & Gutteridge, 1989;Diplock, 1991;Byers & Perry, 1992;Frei, 1994;Hercberg et al, 1998a).Epidemiological data from cross-sectional, case-control, and prospective studies have shown a strong relationship between the intake of foods rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals, or the actual intake of these nutrients, and the risk of cancer and ischaemic cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (Block et al, 1992;Stampfer & Rimm, 1993;Byers & Guerrero, 1995;Kohlmeier & Hastings, 1995;Stampfer & Rimm, 1995;Hercberg et al, 1998a). However, most of published randomized placebo-controlled primary prevention trials have not been able to demonstrate these potential beneficial effects (Blot et al, 1993; The AlphaTocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Preventi...

The objective of the present work was to assess the relationship between serum Se concentrations and environmental determinants (i.e. lifestyle, social activity, geographic region, urban status, education, familial status, physical activity, BMI, tobacco, and food and alcohol consumption). Baseline results from 13 017 subjects (7876 women aged 35-60 and 5141 men aged 45-60) who participated in the SU.VI.M.AX (Supplémen-tation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants) study were analysed. Fewer than 2 % of the volunteers had a serum Se status under 0·75 mmol/l, which has been quoted as the cut-off of biological Se sub-deficiency. Women had significantly lower serum Se concentrations than men (1·09 (SD 0·19) mmol/l (n 7423) and 1·14 (SD 0·20) mmol/l (n 4915), P,0·0001, respectively). Significant differences in serum Se concentrations were observed between geographic areas. In both sexes, the serum Se concentration increased with alcohol, meat and fish consumption, and decreased with smoking. In premenopausal women, the serum Se concentration was higher in contraceptive-pill users than in non-users. In women only, age was associated with increased serum Se concentrations, and obesity (BMI $ 30 kg/m 2 ) was associated with decreased serum Se levels. In men, we observed a decrease in serum Se concentrations with increased consumption of vegetables and fruits. In conclusion, though few of the volunteers participating in the SU.VI.M.AX study had Se status in the sub-deficiency range, 83 % of women and 75 % of men had serum concentrations below the value considered optimal for glutathione peroxidase activity. The largest Se associations in both sexes were found with regions, smoking, alcohol, meat and fish consumption. Further studies are needed to understand the difference in Se status between genders.

Background/Objectives: Few studies have been conducted on determinants of serum zinc concentration, especially in France. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between serum zinc concentrations, and age, education, living area and life style in a large sample cohort of French adults. Subjects/Methods: Blood samples were collected after 12-h fasting in French adults (7448 women, 35-65 years old and 4926 men, 45-65 years old) participating to the SUpplementation in AntioXidant VItamins and Minerals cohort at enrolment. Serum zinc was determined by flame atomic absorption. Results: Serum zinc concentration was lower in women (mean: 12.9 mmol/l, 95% confidence interval: 9.2-16.6 mmol/l) compared with men (mean: 13.4 mmol/l, 95% confidence interval: 9.7-17.1 mmol/l, Po0.0001). In total, 10% of the women showed serum zinc values o10.7 mmol/l and 10% of the men showed serum zinc values o11.3 mmol/l. Age was negatively associated with serum zinc only in men (P ¼ 0.001). In women, a positive association between smoking and serum zinc concentration (P ¼ 0.0003), and a negative relationship between highest education level and serum zinc concentration (P ¼ 0.01) were observed. With regard to geographical areas, the highest serum zinc concentrations were found in the Center, and the lowest in the Southwest of France for both men and women. The association between serum zinc concentrations and food categories or macronutrient intake disappeared after stratifying by gender. Conclusions: Age, gender and geographic area seem the main determinants of serum zinc concentrations in this study.