The effect of smoking and eating habits on DNA damage in Indian populationas measured in the Comet assay

This study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the status of DNA damag e in a normal healthy Indian population. The 62 male volunteers in this stu dy belonged to the smoking, non-smoking, vegetarian and non-vegetarian cate gories, were well educated and aged between 23 and 57 years. The data revea led significant differences in the extent of DNA damage in the smokers vers us non-smokers as well as between the vegetarians and non-vegetarians. A si gnificant difference was also observed amongst the different groups of smok ers depending on the extent of smoking. An age-dependent effect in DNA dama ge was also observed. This preliminary study has, for the first time, revea led differences in the extent of DNA damage in the normal Indian population depending on their eating and smoking habits as well as age. (C) 2001 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.