(P24-081-23) Assessment of Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Undergraduate Students Using Spectroscopy-Based Skin Carotenoid Measurements and ASA-24 Dietary Assessment

Objectives: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 1 in 10 adults consume adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables daily. Carotenoids are found in a variety of fruits of vegetables and is used as a biomarker for fruits and vegetable intake. The Veggie Meter uses Raman spectroscopy to assess pressure-mediated skin carotenoid levels. Currently, very few studies have used Veggie Meter® scores to assess fruit and vegetable intake among college students. The goal of this study was to assess fruit and vegetable intake among college students by analyzing skin carotenoid levels using Veggie Meter®.

Methods: A total of 315 undergraduate students, 18 years or older, were recruited from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Individuals who were pregnant, smokers, or who developed fever a week prior to the study were excluded. Volunteers completed a health and demographic survey and signed an informed consent document prior to the study. Skin carotenoid levels were assessed using the Veggie Meter® (Longevity Link Corporation). Measurements were conducted in triplicate and average scores computed. A subset of participants completed an Automated Self-Assessment 24-hour recall (ASA-24) to determine beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin intake.

Results: Veggie Meter® scores were significantly higher in women (296.1 ± 97.5, n=178) compared to men (272.2 ± 61.8, n=108); upperclassmen compared to underclassmen, and in those enrolled a major in the College of Health Sciences compared to majors in other disciplines. Veggie Meter® scores were significantly higher in students who self-reported their physical activity as active or very active compared to students who were moderately active or sedentary. Further, students who followed a specialized diet had higher Veggie Meter® scores than those without dietary restrictions. Beta-carotene but not beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, or zeaxanthin intake, as monitored by ASA-24, was correlated to Veggie Meter® scores (Pearson coefficient r = 0.39, n=30, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Our studies, using spectroscopy-based skin carotenoid measurements, suggest that fruit and vegetable intake among undergraduate students may be influenced by gender, classification (upperclassmen vs underclassmen), physical activity status, and choice of major.

Funding Sources: None