Hatzis Christos M, Bertsias George K, Linardakis Manolis, Scott John M, Kafatos Anthony G
Preventive Medicine and Nutrition Clinic, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, P,O, Box 1352, 71110, Heraklion, Greece.
Nutr J. 2006 Feb 10;5:5. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-5-5.
Folate has emerged as a key nutrient for optimising health. Impaired folate status has been identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, various types of cancers, and neurocognitive disorders. The study aimed at examining the distribution and determinants of serum folate concentrations in a healthy adult population in Crete, Greece.
A cross-sectional sample of 486 healthy adults (250 men, 236 women) aged 39 +/- 14 years, personnel of the Medical School and the University Hospital of Crete in Greece, was examined. Serum folate and vitamin B12 concentrations were measured by microbiological assay, and total homocysteine was determined fluorometrically and by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Lifestyle questionnaires were completed, and nutrient intakes and food consumption were assessed by 24-h dietary recalls. Multivariate analyses were performed using SPSS v10.1.
The geometric mean (95% confidence interval) concentrations of serum folate were 15.6 micromol/l (14.6-16.8) in men and 19.2 micromol/l (17.9-20.7) in women (p < 0.001). Inadequate folate levels (<or=7 nmol/l) were present in 6.8% of men and 2.1% of women (p < 0.001). Approximately 76% of men and 87% of women did not meet the reference dietary intake for folate (400 microg/day). Serum folate was inversely related to total homocysteine levels (p < 0.001). Increased tobacco and coffee consumption were associated with lower folate concentrations (p < 0.05 for both) but these associations disappeared after controlling for nutrient intakes. In multivariate analysis, intakes of MUFA, fibre, calcium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, E, C, B1, and B6 were positively associated with serum folate. Consumption of potatoes, legumes, fruits, and vegetables were favourably related to the serum folate status.
Serum folate concentrations were associated with various demographic, lifestyle and dietary factors in healthy Cretan adults. Large-scale epidemiological studies should be conducted within the general Greek adult population to assess the prevalence of impaired folate status and further examine associations with dietary patterns and chronic disease risk. Considering the importance of folate in health maintenance, it is important to increase the public's awareness of modifiable lifestyle patterns and diet and tobacco use in particular, which may be associated with improved folate status.
叶酸已成为优化健康状况的关键营养素。叶酸状态受损已被确定为心血管疾病、各类癌症和神经认知障碍的一个风险因素。该研究旨在调查希腊克里特岛健康成年人群血清叶酸浓度的分布情况及其决定因素。
对希腊克里特岛医学院和大学医院的486名年龄在39±14岁的健康成年人（250名男性，236名女性）进行了横断面抽样调查。采用微生物学分析法测定血清叶酸和维生素B12浓度，通过荧光法和高压液相色谱法测定总同型半胱氨酸。完成了生活方式问卷调查，并通过24小时膳食回顾评估营养素摄入量和食物消耗量。使用SPSS v10.1进行多变量分析。
男性血清叶酸的几何平均浓度（95%置信区间）为15.6微摩尔/升（14.6 - 16.8），女性为19.2微摩尔/升（17.9 - 20.7）（p < 0.001）。6.8%的男性和2.1%的女性叶酸水平不足（≤7纳摩尔/升）（p < 0.001）。约76%的男性和87%的女性未达到叶酸的参考膳食摄入量（400微克/天）。血清叶酸与总同型半胱氨酸水平呈负相关（p < 0.001）。吸烟和咖啡摄入量增加与较低的叶酸浓度相关（两者p均< 0.05），但在控制营养素摄入量后，这些关联消失。在多变量分析中，单不饱和脂肪酸、纤维、钙、镁、叶酸以及维生素A、E、C、B1和B6的摄入量与血清叶酸呈正相关。土豆、豆类、水果和蔬菜的食用与血清叶酸状态呈良好关联。
健康的克里特岛成年人血清叶酸浓度与多种人口统计学、生活方式和饮食因素相关。应在希腊成年普通人群中开展大规模流行病学研究，以评估叶酸状态受损的患病率，并进一步研究与饮食模式和慢性病风险的关联。鉴于叶酸在维持健康方面的重要性，提高公众对可改变的生活方式模式的认识非常重要，尤其是饮食和烟草使用，这可能与改善叶酸状态有关。
