Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study
Aim: Current dietary assessment methods are prone to subjective bias, highlighting the demand for an objective marker of fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake. Carotenoids from F/V consumption deposit in skin and adipose tissue, contributing to changes in skin colour. Results from research in females hav...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69724 |
| _version_ | 1848762117377753088 |
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| author | Bixley, G. Clark, K. James, Tony |
| author_facet | Bixley, G. Clark, K. James, Tony |
| author_sort | Bixley, G. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Aim: Current dietary assessment methods are prone to subjective bias, highlighting the demand for an objective marker of fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake. Carotenoids from F/V consumption deposit in skin and adipose tissue, contributing to changes in skin colour. Results from research in females have highlighted positive associations between skin colour assessed by reflectance spectroscopy and F/V intake. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between (i) F/V intake, (ii) carotenoid intake and skin colour in young Caucasian men. Methods: In this cross-sectional study reflectance spectroscopy was used to quantify skin colour in young Caucasian men. Skin colour was assessed at eight sun-exposed and unexposed body locations. A food frequency questionnaire was administered to assess F/V intake over the past month. Partial correlations were done to assess the associations between skin yellowness, F/V intake (grams) and carotenoid intake (milligrams), both with and without controlling for skin lightness. Results: Carotenoid intake was strongly associated with F/V intake (r = 0.8, p < 0.001). Skin yellowness was found to be strongly associated with both carotenoid (r = 0.599, p < 0.001) and F/V (r = 0.422, p = 0.02) intake. When skin colour was controlled for skin lightness and measured at the forehead, biceps, palm and foot sole, a stronger association was observed (carotenoid (r = 0.637, p < 0.001); F/V (r = 0.431, p = 0.02)). Conclusion: Skin colour is a viable biomarker of F/V intake in young Caucasian men. These findings contribute to the development of an objective marker of F/V intake, however more research is required before the method can be applied to practice. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:42:28Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-69724 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:42:28Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-697242018-09-11T06:04:35Z Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study Bixley, G. Clark, K. James, Tony Aim: Current dietary assessment methods are prone to subjective bias, highlighting the demand for an objective marker of fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake. Carotenoids from F/V consumption deposit in skin and adipose tissue, contributing to changes in skin colour. Results from research in females have highlighted positive associations between skin colour assessed by reflectance spectroscopy and F/V intake. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between (i) F/V intake, (ii) carotenoid intake and skin colour in young Caucasian men. Methods: In this cross-sectional study reflectance spectroscopy was used to quantify skin colour in young Caucasian men. Skin colour was assessed at eight sun-exposed and unexposed body locations. A food frequency questionnaire was administered to assess F/V intake over the past month. Partial correlations were done to assess the associations between skin yellowness, F/V intake (grams) and carotenoid intake (milligrams), both with and without controlling for skin lightness. Results: Carotenoid intake was strongly associated with F/V intake (r = 0.8, p < 0.001). Skin yellowness was found to be strongly associated with both carotenoid (r = 0.599, p < 0.001) and F/V (r = 0.422, p = 0.02) intake. When skin colour was controlled for skin lightness and measured at the forehead, biceps, palm and foot sole, a stronger association was observed (carotenoid (r = 0.637, p < 0.001); F/V (r = 0.431, p = 0.02)). Conclusion: Skin colour is a viable biomarker of F/V intake in young Caucasian men. These findings contribute to the development of an objective marker of F/V intake, however more research is required before the method can be applied to practice. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69724 10.1016/j.jnim.2018.06.001 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Bixley, G. Clark, K. James, Tony Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study |
| title | Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young Caucasian men: A cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | skin colour predicts fruit and vegetable intake in young caucasian men: a cross-sectional study |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69724 |