RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SMOKING AND ANTIOXIDANT NUTRIENT STATUS

The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between smoking and antioxidant nutrient intake and status. Smoker (n 44) and non-smoker (n 44) male students attending Dhaka University, aged betw een 22 and 28 years and living in a University Hall of Residence, were selected for the present study. Mean age, body weight, BMI and blood pressure were similar for both the smokers and non-smokers. Mean energ y, protein and fat intakes were similar for both groups. Smokers had l ower intakes of dietary vitamin C, carotenes and Zn but only the diffe rence in Zn intake was statistically significant. There was no signifi cant difference between smokers and non-smokers for either serum vitam in A (retinol) or vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) level. The plasma vitam in C level of smokers was significantly lower than that of non-smokers (P = 0.0004). Smokers had significantly lower serum Cu (P = 0.04) and higher serum Zn levels (P = 0.003). Further, a significant dose-respo nse relationship between smoking and vitamin C status was observed. Li near-regression analysis showed a significantly positive correlation b etween dietary intake and plasma vitamin C values in non-smokers (r 0. 50; P = 0.0005). On the contrary, no such association was observed in smokers. These findings suggest that smoking may cause an imbalance in antioxidant nutrient intake and status.