Relationship between Food-Intake Frequency and Analytical Data of Serum in Female College Students (Part 1) Relationship between Intake Frequency of Green-Yellow Vegetables and Serum β-Carotene Concentrations

Abstract

The relationship between food-intake frequency and serum β-carotene concentrations was investigated in 117 female college students. The findings are as follows. 1. The serum β-carotene concentrations were determined in the range of about 10 to 180μg/dl. The mean value was 64.4±30.7μg/dl. 2. A positive correlation (p<0.01) was observed between the intake frequency of green-yellow vegetables and the serum β-carotene concentration, when the food-intake frequency was divided into 5 categories, the frequency from twice or more a day to one or twice a month. 3. The levels of serum β-carotene were markedly reduced in a lower category of the total intake freqencies of eggs, milks and diary products, retinol-rich foods. Among the retinol-poor category, the serum β-carotene levels proved low even in the group of high intake freqency of green-yellow vegetables. These findings demonstrate that the serum, 5-carotene concentrations can be approximated by the intake frequency of green-yellow vegetables, and its level is reduced when the intake frequencies of some retinol-rich foods are very low e. g. less than one a week.