Table 1.
Distribution of plasma vitamin C and carotenoids by case status and by population characteristics in the subcohort of EPIC-InterAct study
| Subgroup | Vitamin C (µmol/L) | Total carotenoids (µmol/L) | α carotene (µmol/L; median (IQR)) | β carotene (µmol/L; median (IQR)) | Lycopene (µmol/L; median (IQR)) | Lutein (µmol/L; median (IQR)) | Zeaxanthin (µmol/L; median (IQR)) | β cryptoxanthin (µmol/L; median (IQR)) | Composite biomarker score (median (IQR)) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Mean (SD) | No | Median (IQR) | ||||||||
| Case status: | |||||||||||
| Non-cases | 12 034 | 42.6 (19.2) | 13 039 | 1.54 (1.11-2.08) | 0.07 (0.04-0.14) | 0.38 (0.24-0.59) | 0.42 (0.26-0.61) | 0.26 (0.19-0.36) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.20 (0.11-0.37) | −0.04 (−0.37-0.33) |
| Cases of type 2 diabetes | 8984 | 36.3 (18.3) | 9703 | 1.19 (0.84-1.68) | 0.05 (0.03-0.09) | 0.26 (0.16-0.41) | 0.34 (0.20-0.53) | 0.22 (0.15-0.31) | 0.03 (0.02-0.06) | 0.15 (0.08-0.29) | −0.30 (−0.60-0.05) |
| Total subcohort* | 12 589 | 42.3 (19.2) | 13 618 | 1.52 (1.09-2.07) | 0.07 (0.04-0.13) | 0.37 (0.23-0.58) | 0.41 (0.25-0.61) | 0.26 (0.18-0.36) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.20 (0.11-0.37) | −0.05 (−0.38-0.32) |
| Country: | |||||||||||
| France | 512 | 45.0 (17.1) | 536 | 2.22 (1.63-2.83) | 0.18 (0.12-0.29) | 0.78 (0.52-1.08) | 0.42 (0.27-0.59) | 0.36 (0.27-0.49) | 0.04 (0.03-0.06) | 0.26 (0.17-0.41) | 0.37 (−0.02-0.75) |
| Italy | 1922 | 36.6 (18.6) | 1953 | 2.14 (1.71-2.69) | 0.08 (0.05-0.14) | 0.47 (0.32-0.68) | 0.65 (0.49-0.86) | 0.44 (0.34-0.57) | 0.04 (0.03-0.05) | 0.30 (0.16-0.52) | 0.24 (−0.08-0.63) |
| Spain | 3499 | 40.8 (16.6) | 3491 | 1.46 (1.09-1.93) | 0.05 (0.03-0.08) | 0.27 (0.18-0.40) | 0.36 (0.22-0.53) | 0.26 (0.19-0.34) | 0.08 (0.05-0.10) | 0.33 (0.20-0.55) | 0 (−0.30-0.33) |
| UK | 1257 | 43.4 (20.1) | 1255 | 1.51 (1.14-2.01) | 0.11 (0.06-0.17) | 0.46 (0.30-0.65) | 0.47 (0.29-0.66) | 0.22 (0.17-0.30) | 0.03 (0.02-0.04) | 0.15 (0.09-0.24) | −0.13 (−0.42-0.20) |
| Netherlands | 1402 | 48.0 (20.9) | 1438 | 1.35 (1.01-1.78) | 0.06 (0.04-0.10) | 0.37 (0.24-0.52) | 0.36 (0.22-0.57) | 0.23 (0.16-0.30) | 0.03 (0.02-0.05) | 0.20 (0.12-0.33) | −0.17 (−0.46-0.14) |
| Germany | 1974 | 48.4 (19.2) | 1990 | 1.56 (1.13-2.06) | 0.09 (0.05-0.16) | 0.46 (0.29-0.74) | 0.41 (0.26-0.58) | 0.24 (0.18-0.32) | 0.04 (0.03-0.06) | 0.17 (0.10-0.28) | −0.03 (−0.35-0.32) |
| Sweden | NA | NA | 929 | 1.41 (1.06-1.86) | 0.09 (0.05-0.16) | 0.42 (0.28-0.62) | 0.39 (0.25-0.56) | 0.23 (0.17-0.30) | 0.03 (0.02-0.04) | 0.13 (0.07-0.22) | NA |
| Denmark | 2023 | 39.2 (20.2) | 2026 | 1.12 (0.77-1.55) | 0.08 (0.04-0.14) | 0.30 (0.18-0.50) | 0.32 (0.20-0.48) | 0.20 (0.14-0.27) | 0.02 (0.01-0.03) | 0.08 (0.04-0.15) | −0.39 (−0.68-−0.08) |
| Age: | |||||||||||
| <40 | 1219 | 43.6 (18.7) | 1486 | 1.56 (1.18-2.05) | 0.07 (0.04-0.12) | 0.36 (0.23-0.56) | 0.50 (0.34-0.70) | 0.24 (0.18-0.32) | 0.04 (0.03-0.07) | 0.20 (0.12-0.34) | −0.01 (−0.31-0.33) |
| 40-<60 | 8913 | 42.1 (18.7) | 9509 | 1.54 (1.11-2.09) | 0.07 (0.04-0.13) | 0.37 (0.23-0.58) | 0.42 (0.26-0.62) | 0.26 (0.19-0.36) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.21 (0.11-0.38) | −0.03 (−0.36-0.34) |
| ≥60 | 2457 | 42.5 (21.2) | 2623 | 1.41 (0.97-1.95) | 0.08 (0.04-0.14) | 0.40 (0.24-0.60) | 0.32 (0.19-0.51) | 0.25 (0.18-0.35) | 0.03 (0.02-0.05) | 0.17 (0.09-0.33) | −0.15 (−0.49-0.26) |
| Body mass index: | |||||||||||
| <25 | 5304 | 45.6 (19.9) | 5891 | 1.68 (1.22-2.26) | 0.09 (0.05-0.17) | 0.45 (0.29-0.71) | 0.44 (0.28-0.64) | 0.27 (0.20-0.38) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.20 (0.11-0.36) | 0.05 (−0.28-0.45) |
| 25-<30 | 5070 | 40.6 (18.5) | 5412 | 1.46 (1.05-1.96) | 0.07 (0.04-0.12) | 0.34 (0.21-0.52) | 0.40 (0.24-0.59) | 0.25 (0.18-0.35) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.20 (0.11-0.37) | −0.09 (−0.41-0.26) |
| ≥30 | 2117 | 38.5 (18.0) | 2209 | 1.31 (0.92-1.81) | 0.05 (0.03-0.08) | 0.27 (0.18-0.43) | 0.36 (0.21-0.55) | 0.23 (0.17-0.31) | 0.04 (0.03-0.07) | 0.20 (0.10-0.38) | −0.19 (−0.50-0.16) |
| Sex: | |||||||||||
| Male | 4613 | 36.7 (17.6) | 5088 | 1.30 (0.93-1.77) | 0.06 (0.03-0.10) | 0.28 (0.18-0.44) | 0.40 (0.24-0.61) | 0.24 (0.17-0.33) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.14 (0.07-0.27) | −0.21 (−0.53-0.13) |
| Female | 7976 | 45.6 (19.4) | 8530 | 1.67 (1.22-2.24) | 0.08 (0.05-0.15) | 0.44 (0.28-0.67) | 0.42 (0.26-0.61) | 0.27 (0.19-0.37) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.24 (0.13-0.42) | 0.04 (−0.28-0.43) |
| Education†: | |||||||||||
| Low | 5174 | 40.3 (18.7) | 5470 | 1.48 (1.05-2.02) | 0.06 (0.03-0.10) | 0.33 (0.20-0.51) | 0.38 (0.22-0.59) | 0.26 (0.18-0.37) | 0.05 (0.03-0.08) | 0.24 (0.12-0.43) | −0.05 (−0.39-0.33) |
| Middle | 4617 | 42.9 (19.1) | 5139 | 1.49 (1.08-2.05) | 0.08 (0.04-0.14) | 0.39 (0.24-0.61) | 0.42 (0.26-0.62) | 0.25 (0.18-0.35) | 0.03 (0.02-0.06) | 0.18 (0.10-0.31) | −0.08 (−0.40-0.29) |
| High | 2517 | 45.4 (19.9) | 2724 | 1.63 (1.19-2.16) | 0.09 (0.05-0.17) | 0.44 (0.27-0.69) | 0.44 (0.29-0.62) | 0.26 (0.19-0.35) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.19 (0.11-0.34) | 0 (−0.31-0.38) |
| Smoking status: | |||||||||||
| Never | 5866 | 45.1 (18.3) | 6431 | 1.66 (1.23-2.24) | 0.08 (0.05-0.15) | 0.43 (0.28-0.65) | 0.42 (0.26-0.61) | 0.27 (0.20-0.37) | 0.04 (0.03-0.07) | 0.25 (0.14-0.44) | 0.06 (−0.26-0.43) |
| Former | 3359 | 42.6 (18.9) | 3566 | 1.51 (1.08-2.04) | 0.08 (0.04-0.14) | 0.37 (0.23-0.57) | 0.42 (0.27-0.62) | 0.26 (0.19-0.36) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.19 (0.10-0.32) | −0.07 (−0.39-0.30) |
| Current | 3212 | 37.0 (20.1) | 3448 | 1.27 (0.92-1.78) | 0.05 (0.03-0.09) | 0.28 (0.18-0.45) | 0.39 (0.23-0.59) | 0.23 (0.16-0.32) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.15 (0.07-0.28) | −0.23 (−0.55-0.12) |
| Physical activity: | |||||||||||
| Inactive | 2953 | 39.1 (19.4) | 3229 | 1.51 (1.10-2.07) | 0.06 (0.04-0.11) | 0.35 (0.22-0.54) | 0.41 (0.24-0.61) | 0.26 (0.19-0.36) | 0.04 (0.03-0.07) | 0.23 (0.12-0.42) | −0.06 (−0.37-0.31) |
| Moderately inactive | 4161 | 42.9 (18.8) | 4418 | 1.54 (1.10-2.08) | 0.07 (0.04-0.13) | 0.37 (0.23-0.59) | 0.42 (0.26-0.61) | 0.26 (0.19-0.35) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.21 (0.11-0.38) | −0.04 (−0.37-0.33) |
| Moderately active | 2732 | 43.3 (19.0) | 3020 | 1.53 (1.10-2.08) | 0.08 (0.05-0.15) | 0.39 (0.24-0.62) | 0.41 (0.25-0.61) | 0.26 (0.18-0.36) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.19 (0.10-0.34) | −0.04 (−0.37-0.36) |
| Active | 2542 | 44.3 (19.5) | 2745 | 1.50 (1.06-2.04) | 0.08 (0.04-0.14) | 0.38 (0.23-0.59) | 0.41 (0.25-0.60) | 0.25 (0.18-0.35) | 0.03 (0.02-0.06) | 0.18 (0.09-0.32) | −0.07 (−0.41-0.30) |
| Alcohol intake (g/day): | |||||||||||
| 0 | 2129 | 40.9 (18.6) | 2213 | 1.60 (1.14-2.14) | 0.06 (0.04-0.11) | 0.36 (0.24-0.55) | 0.39 (0.24-0.59) | 0.26 (0.19-0.37) | 0.05 (0.03-0.08) | 0.28 (0.15-0.49) | −0.01 (−0.32-0.36) |
| 0-<6 | 3885 | 44.9 (19.2) | 4639 | 1.60 (1.16-2.18) | 0.09 (0.05-0.16) | 0.43 (0.28-0.65) | 0.42 (0.25-0.62) | 0.25 (0.18-0.35) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.21 (0.11-0.38) | 0.01 (−0.32-0.41) |
| 6-<12 | 1847 | 43.8 (19.3) | 1969 | 1.56 (1.12-2.10) | 0.08 (0.05-0.15) | 0.41 (0.26-0.63) | 0.42 (0.27-0.62) | 0.25 (0.18-0.35) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.19 (0.10-0.33) | −0.04 (−0.38-0.33) |
| 12-<24 | 2054 | 42.7 (19.0) | 2104 | 1.52 (1.11-2.04) | 0.07 (0.04-0.14) | 0.37 (0.23-0.57) | 0.43 (0.27-0.62) | 0.26 (0.19-0.36) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.19 (0.10-0.35) | −0.06 (−0.38-0.31) |
| ≥24 | 2624 | 38.4 (19.2) | 2643 | 1.31 (0.93-1.80) | 0.06 (0.03-0.10) | 0.27 (0.15-0.43) | 0.39 (0.24-0.58) | 0.25 (0.18-0.36) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.16 (0.07-0.29) | −0.17 (−0.51-0.18) |
| Marital status: | |||||||||||
| Single | 614 | 46.7 (20.4) | 730 | 1.56 (1.17-2.27) | 0.09 (0.05-0.17) | 0.43 (0.26-0.71) | 0.47 (0.28-0.66) | 0.26 (0.18-0.37) | 0.04 (0.02-0.05) | 0.18 (0.11-0.32) | 0.02 (−0.30-0.47) |
| Married | 5491 | 43.5 (19.7) | 6299 | 1.68 (1.22-2.26) | 0.09 (0.05-0.15) | 0.45 (0.30-0.68) | 0.47 (0.29-0.67) | 0.28 (0.20-0.40) | 0.04 (0.02-0.05) | 0.19 (0.11-0.34) | 0.02 (−0.31-0.40) |
| Separated/ divorced |
508 | 47.8 (21.4) | 573 | 1.63 (1.18-2.12) | 0.09 (0.05-0.16) | 0.45 (0.29-0.67) | 0.44 (0.28-0.63) | 0.24 (0.18-0.34) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.19 (0.10-0.31) | 0.02 (−0.30-0.36) |
| Widowed | 284 | 42.9 (21.1) | 318 | 1.62 (1.15-2.08) | 0.09 (0.05-0.14) | 0.46 (0.28-0.65) | 0.41 (0.25-0.58) | 0.26 (0.19-0.37) | 0.03 (0.02-0.05) | 0.21 (0.12-0.36) | −0.02 (−0.37-0.28) |
| Employment: | |||||||||||
| No | 3054 | 42.3 (21.0) | 3313 | 1.55 (1.07-2.17) | 0.08 (0.05-0.14) | 0.43 (0.27-0.66) | 0.40 (0.24-0.61) | 0.27 (0.18-0.39) | 0.03 (0.02-0.05) | 0.19 (0.10-0.33) | −0.06 (−0.42-0.34) |
| Yes | 5879 | 43.2 (19.7) | 6657 | 1.54 (1.11-2.10) | 0.09 (0.05-0.16) | 0.42 (0.26-0.64) | 0.44 (0.28-0.64) | 0.25 (0.18-0.35) | 0.03 (0.02-0.05) | 0.16 (0.09-0.29) | −0.08 (−0.41-0.31) |
| HDL-C:‡ | |||||||||||
| Low (<1.4 mmol/L) | 4862 | 38.5 (18.1) | 5395 | 1.34 (0.96-1.84) | 0.06 (0.04-0.11) | 0.31 (0.19-0.49) | 0.39 (0.24-0.59) | 0.23 (0.16-0.32) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.17 (0.09-0.31) | −0.19 (−0.50-0.15) |
| High (≥1.4 mmol/L) | 7468 | 44.9 (19.5) | 7959 | 1.65 (1.20-2.22) | 0.08 (0.05-0.15) | 0.42 (0.27-0.64) | 0.43 (0.27-0.62) | 0.28 (0.20-0.38) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.23 (0.12-0.41) | 0.04 (−0.29-0.43) |
| LDL-C:‡ | |||||||||||
| Low (<3.7 mmol/L) | 6016 | 43.4 (19.0) | 6545 | 1.44 (1.04-1.94) | 0.07 (0.04-0.13) | 0.35 (0.22-0.55) | 0.39 (0.24-0.57) | 0.24 (0.17-0.33) | 0.04 (0.02-0.06) | 0.19 (0.10-0.34) | −0.11 (−0.41-0.24) |
| High (≥3.7 mmol/L) | 6169 | 41.6 (19.4) | 6662 | 1.62 (1.16-2.20) | 0.07 (0.04-0.13) | 0.40 (0.25-0.61) | 0.44 (0.27-0.65) | 0.27 (0.20-0.38) | 0.04 (0.02-0.07) | 0.22 (0.11-0.40) | 0.01 (−0.33-0.40) |
HDL-C=high density lipoprotein cholesterol; IQR=interquartile range; LDL-C=low density lipoprotein cholesterol; NA=not available; SD=standard deviation.
Vitamin C was not measured in the Swedish cohort owing to sample availability.
*
Distribution of the biomarkers by population characteristics was from the subcohort of EPIC-InterAct Study, except for the first two rows describing distribution among future cases and non-cases.
†
Education: low=none or primary school completed; middle=technical/professional or secondary school; high=longer education (including university degree).
‡
Cut-off values for low or high levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol are based on the population median in the subcohort.