Abstract
Increased antioxidant defences are hypothesised to decrease age- and smoking-related decline in lung function.
The relationship between dietary antioxidants, smoking and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was investigated in community-dwelling older adults in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. 1,443 participants completed a food frequency questionnaire, self-reported smoking history and had measurements taken of FEV1 at both baseline and after 4 yrs of follow-up. The association of dietary intake of nutrients and foods with antioxidant properties and rate of FEV1 decline was investigated using hierarchical linear regression models.
In continuing smokers (current smokers at both time-points), higher vitamin C intake and higher intake of fruit and vegetables were associated with an 18 and 24 mL·yr−1 slower rate of FEV1 decline compared with a lower intake (p<0.0001 and p=0.003, respectively). In quitters (a current smoker at study baseline who had quit during follow-up), higher intake was associated with an attenuated rate of decline for each nutrient studied (p≤0.003 for all models). In nonsmoking participants, there was little or no association of diet and rate of decline in FEV1.
The intake of nutrients with antioxidant properties may modulate lung function decline in older adults exposed to cigarette smoke.
Footnotes
This article has supplementary material available from www.erj.ersjournals.com
Support Statement
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (grant number T32 DK007158-31 to A.R. Bentley; grant number R01HL74104 to S.B. Kritchevsky; grant number R01HL071022 to P.A. Cassano) and the National Institute on Aging (grant numbers N01-AG-6-2101, N01-AG-2103 and N01-AG-6-2106 to the Health ABC Study). This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute on Aging.
Statement of Interest
None declared.
- Received December 9, 2010.
- Accepted August 30, 2011.
- ©ERS 2012