Low Carotenoid Levels Common Among Younger Women

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals only about one third of American women are meeting their fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, which means they most likely have low levels of carotenoids that may help support women's health, including breast and ovarian health.

According to Nutrilites Americas Phytonutrient Report: Womens Health by Color," older women have total carotenoid intakes 20 percent greater than younger women after accounting for differences in caloric intake. Similar to the original America's Phytonutrient Report: Quantifying the Gap," which found on average eight out of 10 American adults are falling short on phytonutrient consumption, the new report revealed a troubling shortfall, this time among women and carotenoids.

Carotenoids give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors, which research suggests may offer breast, ovarian and other health benefits for women. Using NHANES energy-adjusted data to compare the diets of women 45 years and older with those younger, the report found many women of all ages lacked carotenoid-rich foods in their diet, but the relative magnitude of the "carotenoid gap" was greater among women less than 45 years old as compared to older women.

"This points to a troubling phenomenon where younger women may be missing some of the benefits of consuming more carotenoid rich fruits and vegetables, and yet calorie for calorie, older women are eating more of these important nutrients," said Keith Randolph, Ph.D., technology strategist for Nutrilite. 

The new report examined consumption of five different carotenoids across three phytonutrient color categories including alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin in the yellow/orange category; lutein/zeaxanthin in the green category; and lycopene in red. In every color category, older women consumed equal or greater amounts compared to younger women after adjusting for differences in caloric intake. Women age 45 and older consume 50 percent more beta-carotene; 40 percent more alpha-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin; and, 10 percent more beta-cryptoxanthin. For lycopene, younger and older women consume comparable amounts.

According to the report, a limited number of foods account for significant portions of carotenoid intakes. Following are the single, largest food contributors in the diets of American women by color category of phytonutrient:

Choosing to increase the amount of the fruit and vegetables richest in carotenoids is important for long-term preventative health among women. While foods like spinach, tomatoes and carrots are certainly part of a healthy diet, there are opportunities for women to choose a wider variety of produce. For example, while carrots are among the top food sources of alpha- and beta-carotenes, cooked pumpkin is also a concentrated food source of not only those carotenes, but of beta-cryptoxanthin. However, based on the current data analysis, cooked pumpkin accounts for less than 3 percent of total intake of these carotenoids among American women.

"It's concerning that so many American women lack a variety of carotenoid-rich foods in their regular diets," said Amy Hendel, Nutrilite's phytonutrient coach. "By selecting the most carotenoid-rich produce choices, women can purposefully increase their carotenoid and phytonutrient intakes which can impact health significantly as they age."