Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis
Abstract Objective Our study aimed to investigate the link between serum carotenoids and obesity in a large, representative children and adolescents. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2018. The impact of individu...
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2025-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05983-0 |
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| author | Zhiyuan Chen Yuanfeng Zhang Jianyou Shi |
| author_facet | Zhiyuan Chen Yuanfeng Zhang Jianyou Shi |
| author_sort | Zhiyuan Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective Our study aimed to investigate the link between serum carotenoids and obesity in a large, representative children and adolescents. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2018. The impact of individual exposure to six serum carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, α-cryptoxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, combined lutein/zeaxanthin, and total lycopene) on adiposity measures, including BMI and obesity, was assessed through survey-weighted logistic and linear regression models. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was adopted to estimate the effect of exposure to a combination of six serum carotenoids on adiposity measures. Results Our study included 1,329 child and adolescent participants (mean age 12.84 years, 50.11% male). The overall mean BMI was 22.03 kg/m² (SE = 0.16), with 324 participants (24.39%) classified as obese. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher levels of all serum carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, α-cryptoxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, and combined lutein/zeaxanthin) except lycopene were associated with lower BMI and prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents. In addition, there was a negative correlation between the combination of all six carotenoids and BMI (β=-1.56, 95% CI: -1.95, -1.16, P < 0.01) and obesity (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.60, P < 0.01), with β-carotene having the greatest weighting in body mass index and prevalence of obesity, 0.708 and 0.709. Conclusions Our study provides evidence that serum carotenoids, in particular β-carotene, may be associated with a lower prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d15c540ccfa94227b2fd226ef7fc535b |
| institution | DOAJ |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-d15c540ccfa94227b2fd226ef7fc535b2025-08-20T03:06:05ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312025-08-0125111210.1186/s12887-025-05983-0Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysisZhiyuan Chen0Yuanfeng Zhang1Jianyou Shi2Department of Pediatrics, The Wenzhou Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, Shantou Central HospitalDepartment of Clinical laboratory, The Wenzhou Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Objective Our study aimed to investigate the link between serum carotenoids and obesity in a large, representative children and adolescents. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2018. The impact of individual exposure to six serum carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, α-cryptoxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, combined lutein/zeaxanthin, and total lycopene) on adiposity measures, including BMI and obesity, was assessed through survey-weighted logistic and linear regression models. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was adopted to estimate the effect of exposure to a combination of six serum carotenoids on adiposity measures. Results Our study included 1,329 child and adolescent participants (mean age 12.84 years, 50.11% male). The overall mean BMI was 22.03 kg/m² (SE = 0.16), with 324 participants (24.39%) classified as obese. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher levels of all serum carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, α-cryptoxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, and combined lutein/zeaxanthin) except lycopene were associated with lower BMI and prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents. In addition, there was a negative correlation between the combination of all six carotenoids and BMI (β=-1.56, 95% CI: -1.95, -1.16, P < 0.01) and obesity (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.60, P < 0.01), with β-carotene having the greatest weighting in body mass index and prevalence of obesity, 0.708 and 0.709. Conclusions Our study provides evidence that serum carotenoids, in particular β-carotene, may be associated with a lower prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05983-0CarotenoidsBMIObesityWQSNHANES |
| spellingShingle | Zhiyuan Chen Yuanfeng Zhang Jianyou Shi Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis BMC Pediatrics Carotenoids BMI Obesity WQS NHANES |
| title | Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis |
| title_full | Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis |
| title_fullStr | Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis |
| title_short | Inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis |
| title_sort | inverse relationship between serum carotenoid levels and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents a nationwide cross sectional analysis |
| topic | Carotenoids BMI Obesity WQS NHANES |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05983-0 |
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