Smokers' Diets Short on Variety

Source: Tufts University
July 16, 2002 (Reviewed: July 16, 2004)

People who smoke can harm their health both by what they do -- light up -- and by what they don't do. Habitual smokers often don't eat enough antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, and a study reported in Preventive Medicine warns that family members, even those who don't smoke, often have the same poor eating habits.

A look at smokers' diets

For this analysis, German scientists sorted 817 adults into one of four groups: smokers living with another smoker, a smoker living with a non-smoker, a non-smoker living with a smoker, and a non-smoker living with a non-smoker. All kept a written record of what they ate for a one-week period. Blood tests done at the same time measured levels of specific nutrients in the bloodstream. The researchers were looking for the effect of smoking on the diet and nutrient status of study participants.

Smokers short of essential nutrients

They found that those in smoke-free households came closest to meeting their nutrient needs, followed by non-smokers living with smokers. Not surprisingly, smokers tended to follow the least healthful diets. Compared with non-smokers, they consumed considerably less vitamins C and E, folate, and fiber.

Another of the nutrients analyzed was beta-carotene, an antioxidant plentiful in dark green and deep orange fruits and vegetables. Scientists already know that blood beta-carotene levels tend to be low in smokers, probably due to a combination of low intake and greater demand on antioxidants to neutralize harmful oxygen-related particles generated by smoke.

In this case, the researchers discovered that blood levels of beta-carotene tended to be lower in both smokers and those who lived with smokers, even if they themselves didn't smoke. The study's authors don't believe that this was due to the effects of second hand smoke. Instead, they point out that people who live with smokers tend to have similar eating habits, and a diet that includes too few fruits and vegetables can leave everyone -- smokers and non-smokers -- short of some essential nutrients.

Advice to consumers

There is a message in these findings for everyone - smokers, those who live with them, and those who don't: a healthful diet should include generous amounts of many different kinds of fruits and vegetables. If you are already doing this, fine. If not, try to find ways to work more produce into your daily meals. Need some ideas? Check our suggestions on how to boost your intake of fruits and vegetables (see related links below).

Source

• Nutrition, antioxidants, and risk factor profile of nonsmokers, passive smokers, and smokers of the Prevention Education Program. M. Tröbs, T. Renner, G. Scherer,  et al., Prev Med, 2002, vol. 34, pp. 600--607

Related Links
Varied Diets Add More Than Spice
How to Increase Your Intake of Fruits and Vegetables
A Healthy Diet Contains Plenty of Produce
Eating Fruits and Vegetables Year-Round is Key to Staying Healthy
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