UNASSIGNED: Studies on the relationship between parental and child dietary intakes are limited in Asian populations. Here, we examined parent-child relationships in skin carotenoid levels and vegetable intake in a Japanese community.
UNASSIGNED: The study participants were 58 children aged 6-15 years and 39 of their guardians (parents) using children\'s cafeterias. Skin carotenoid levels were measured using the Veggie Meter®, and the number of vegetable dishes (equivalent to a serving of 70 g) was evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire.
UNASSIGNED: The mean (standard deviation; SD) skin carotenoid levels were 366.8 (74.0) in children and 315.0 (101.4) in parents. The partial correlation coefficient between parents\' and children\'s skin carotenoid levels, adjusting for cafeteria, sex, parental dietary supplement use, and household financial status, was 0.38 (P = 0.02); after adjustment for smoking status and BMI, the positive correlation was attenuated (r = 0.25, P = 0.14). A positive correlation was observed between parents\' and children\'s vegetable dish intake (r = 0.30, P = 0.02).
UNASSIGNED: This cross-sectional study identified a positive correlation between parent-child intake of vegetable dishes, accounting for potential confounders. However, the positive correlation observed between parent-child skin carotenoid levels may have been attenuated by internal factors such as smoking and obesity.

This study aimed to determine the association between demographic factors, body size, and fruit and vegetable intake in the general population, focusing on individuals with both low and high skin carotenoid levels. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the 14th National Convention on the Promotion of Food and Nutrition Education (2019) in Yamanashi, Japan (a rural area) and the Open House 2019 at the National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition in Tokyo, Japan (an urban area). Skin carotenoid measurements were conducted, and the participants were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire. The study population consisted of 492 Japanese individuals aged ≥16 years. The odds ratios (ORs) for low skin carotenoid levels were elevated in males, those who were overweight, and those who almost never consumed or consumed only one vegetable dish/day. Conversely, the ORs were lower in those living in Yamanashi, aged 30-39 and ≥70 years, and those who consumed fruit ≥1 time/week. For high skin carotenoid levels, the ORs were higher among those aged ≥70 years, living in Yamanashi, and those who consumed fruit ≥1 time/day or ≥5 vegetable dishes/day. Demographic factors, body size, and habitual fruit and vegetable intake may serve as indicators of skin carotenoid levels.

Despite consistent evidence that greater consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) is associated with significant reductions in chronic disease morbidity and mortality, the majority of adults in the United States consume less than the amounts recommended by public health agencies. As such, there is a critical need to design and implement effective programs and policies to facilitate increases in FV consumption for the prevention of these diseases. To accomplish this, an accurate, inexpensive, and convenient method for estimating the dietary FV intake is required. A promising method for quantifying the FV intake via proxy that has gained interest in recent years is the measurement of skin carotenoid levels via spectroscopy-based devices. However, there exist certain dietary and non-dietary factors that may affect the skin carotenoid levels independently of the dietary intake of carotenoids. In order to validate the ability of this method to accurately estimate the FV intake among diverse demographics, these factors must be identified and taken into consideration. Therefore, this narrative review seeks to summarize the available research on factors that may affect the skin carotenoid levels, determine current gaps in knowledge, and provide guidance for future research efforts seeking to validate spectroscopy-measured skin carotenoid levels as a means of accurately estimating the FV intake among various populations.

Carotenoids have antioxidant properties, and the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is associated with reactive oxygen species production; they have attracted attention as factors predictive of the onset and progression in glaucoma. Fingertip measurement is applicable for carotenoids and AGEs due to its noninvasiveness and simplicity. The study included 663 eyes of 663 Japanese subjects (357 males, 306 females). The mean age was 69.9 years with a standard deviation of 11.0. The study population comprised participants with primary open-angle glaucoma (PG) (n = 358), exfoliation glaucoma (EG) (n = 168), and controls (n = 137). Multivariate models suggested that lower skin carotenoid (SC) levels were associated with male gender (standard β = −0.14), AGE scores (−0.24), and a history of intraocular surgery (−0.22). Higher SC levels were associated with higher vegetable intake scores (0.21 for score 3) and diabetes (0.10). However, no association was seen between SCs and glaucoma type. AGEs levels were negatively associated with carotenoid scores (−0.25), PG (−0.15), and smoking habits (−0.26) and positively correlated with EG (0.14). SCs and AGEs were negatively correlated in the single regression analysis (r = −0.20, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, higher levels of AGEs may be candidates for systemic biomarkers of glaucoma associated with the exfoliation syndrome. SC levels can reflect self-reported daily vegetable intake.

This pilot study tested the effects of the supplements containing water chestnut extract and carotenoids on antiglycation and carotenoid levels. Twenty Japanese subjects (mean age, 67 ± 7 years; 13 men) ingested 200 mg of Tarpa bispinosa Roxb. extract (containing >50 mg of polyphenols), 20 mg of lutein, and 3 mg of zeaxanthin daily for 3 months. Advanced glycation end product (AGEs) levels were estimated by fingertip skin autofluorescence using the AGEs Sensor; carotenoid levels were estimated by pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy of the fingertips using the Veggie Meter. Compared to baseline, the mean AGEs score decreased significantly (0.55 ± 0.04 arbitrary units (AU) vs. 0.52 ± 0.07 AU, p = 0.03); the mean carotenoid score increased significantly (256 ± 68 optical density (OD) vs. 302 ± 109 OD, p = 0.02) at 3 months. Blood pressure, body weight, visual acuity, refractive error, and intraocular pressure were equivalent between baseline and 3 months. Compared to baseline, 13 (65%) patients had decreased AGEs scores, and 14 (70%) had increased carotenoid scores at 3 months; 9 (45%) subjects had both decreased AGEs scores and increased carotenoid scores, and two (10%) subjects had an inverse response. Co-administration of water chestnut extract and lutein for 3 months decreased the AGEs and increased the carotenoids estimated in the fingertip skin of humans.