Applications of antioxidants in physiologically functional foods. Consumption, intake patterns, and exposure

Despite the wide public and scientific interest in antioxidant nutrients and their roles in disease prevention, limited data are available to assess population consumption, individuals' intake patterns, and trends in exposure. This article reviews data on levels of these nutrients in the food supply, intake patterns from food and supplement use derived from national surveys, and trends in exposure. The food supply and intake data indicate that levels of vitamins E and C and the carotenoids in the diet have increased since the 1970s, but the increases are not consistent among all age groups. Dietary supplements make a major contribution to intakes of vitamins E and C. Nutrient and nonnutrient antioxidants added to the food supply do not contribute appreciably to antioxidant exposure. Groups at high risk of poor dietary intakes of antioxidant nutrients are the poor, tobacco users, nonsupplement users, and the elderly, especially those living alone.