Table 2 Concentrations of vitamins A, C, D, and E (α- and γ-tocopherol) by characteristics of study participants, continuous NHANES (1999–2006)

All participants

100

58.7 (48.5, 70.2)

0.95 (0.58, 1.24)

24.1 (18.5, 30.1)

1.17 (0.92, 1.52)

210 (137, 296)

Age groups

 20–39 years

38.9

54.7 (45.0, 65.1)

Ref.

0.91 (0.57, 1.18)

Ref.

24.3 (18.3, 30.4)

Ref.

0.99 (0.82, 1.21)

Ref.

210 (151, 283)

Ref.

 40–59 years

39.3

59.7 (49.7, 71.5)

 < 0.001

0.92 (0.53, 1.18)

0.001

24.0 (18.7, 29.9)

 < 0.001

1.24 (1.01, 1.58)

 < 0.001

221 (142, 316)

 < 0.001

 60 + years

21.8

64.5 (54.5, 76.3)

 < 0.001

1.10 (0.73, 1.43)

 < 0.001

24.0 (18.6, 29.2)

0.015

1.47 (1.13, 1.98)

 < 0.001

182 (104, 287)

 < 0.001

Sex

 Men

48.2

62.6 (53.1, 73.4)

 < 0.001

0.88 (0.50, 1.15)

 < 0.001

24.4 (19.3, 29.8)

0.015

1.15 (0.91, 1.48)

 < 0.001

213 (143, 298)

0.470

 Women

51.8

54.8 (44.9, 66.3)

1.03 (0.67, 1.33)

23.7 (17.8, 30.2)

1.18 (0.94, 1.56)

206 (132, 293)

Race/ethnicity

 Non-Hispanic Whites

71.9

61.0 (51.0, 72.5)

Ref.

0.98 (0.56, 1.27)

Ref.

26.0 (20.8, 31.4)

Ref.

1.22 (0.96, 1.60)

Ref.

206 (131, 294)

Ref.

 Non-Hispanic Blacks

10.7

51.0 (41.1, 62.4)

 < 0.001

0.88 (0.60, 1.14)

 < 0.001

15.0 (11.2, 20.1)

 < 0.001

0.98 (0.82, 1.21)

 < 0.001

238 (170, 318)

 < 0.001

 Mexican Americans

7.6

52.1 (43.1, 62.0)

 < 0.001

0.92 (0.65, 1.14)

 < 0.001

20.7 (15.9, 25.6)

 < 0.001

1.08 (0.88, 1.35)

 < 0.001

214 (151, 296)

 < 0.001

 Other

9.9

55.0 (45.0, 65.2)

 < 0.001

0.96 (0.64, 1.20)

0.132

20.8 (16.2, 26.3)

 < 0.001

1.14 (0.90, 1.42)

 < 0.001

201 (138, 278)

0.992

Income

  < $20,000

22.5

55.6 (45.1, 67.3)

 < 0.001

0.88 (0.45, 1.17)

 < 0.001

22.0 (15.9, 27.9)

 < 0.001

1.07 (0.86, 1.41)

 < 0.001

227 (152, 314)

 < 0.001

 $20,000 + 

77.5

59.7 (49.5, 71.0)

0.97 (0.61, 1.25)

24.6 (19.2, 30.3)

1.19 (0.95, 1.55)

205 (133, 291)

Education levels

 Below high school graduate

19.4

56.0 (45.5, 67.2)

 < 0.001

0.84 (0.47, 1.15)

 < 0.001

21.9 (15.9, 27.7)

 < 0.001

1.10 (0.88, 1.40)

 < 0.001

227 (153, 316)

 < 0.001

 High school graduate/Some college

55.9

58.8 (48.8, 69.9)

 < 0.001

0.92 (0.53, 1.21)

 < 0.001

24.3 (18.5, 30.2)

 < 0.001

1.15 (0.91, 1.52)

 < 0.001

220 (148, 306)

 < 0.001

 College graduate or higher

24.7

61.1 (50.6, 72.9)

Ref.

1.07 (0.81, 1.34)

Ref.

25.3 (20.5, 30.5)

Ref.

1.25 (1.01, 1.60)

Ref.

176 (111, 251)

Ref.

Cigarette smoke exposure

 No smoke exposure

28.9

58.0 (48.4, 70.2)

Ref.

1.07 (0.79, 1.33)

Ref.

24.4 (19.5, 29.9)

Ref.

1.24 (0.98, 1.63)

Ref.

186 (120, 268)

Ref.

 Secondhand smoke exposure

21.4

56.1 (45.5, 67.4)

 < 0.001

0.93 (0.58, 1.22)

 < 0.001

22.6 (16.9, 29.1)

 < 0.001

1.07 (0.87, 1.38)

 < 0.001

228 (156, 310)

 < 0.001

 Past smokers (Quit > 5 years ago)

19.2

63.2 (53.2, 75.1)

 < 0.001

1.04 (0.73, 1.33)

0.011

25.4 (19.9, 30.3)

0.200

1.33 (1.06, 1.77)

 < 0.001

200 (116, 291)

0.020

 Past smokers (Quit within last 5 years)

5.9

58.9 (48.6, 70.8)

0.985

0.94 (0.64, 1.18)

 < 0.001

23.9 (19.2, 30.2)

0.709

1.14 (0.90, 1.47)

 < 0.001

213 (148, 301)

 < 0.001

 Current smokers

24.6

57.8 (48.1, 68.6)

0.174

0.68 (0.29, 1.05)

 < 0.001

23.6 (17.1, 30.2)

 < 0.001

1.05 (0.86, 1.31)

 < 0.001

226 (160, 311)

 < 0.001

BMI

 Underweight

1.8

52.2 (40.6, 62.4)

 < 0.001

1.04 (0.50, 1.34)

0.826

25.0 (18.5, 31.2)

0.029

1.01 (0.80, 1.25)

 < 0.001

159 (102, 233)

0.097

 Normal

32.1

57.7 (48.0, 69.8)

Ref...

1.06 (0.70, 1.34)

Ref.

26.3 (20.6, 32.2)

Ref.

1.11 (0.89, 1.44)

Ref.

171 (115, 237)

Ref.

 Overweight

34.2

61.4 (51.2, 72.7)

 < 0.001

0.99 (0.63, 1.25)

 < 0.001

24.5 (19.4, 30.2)

 < 0.001

1.23 (0.98, 1.62)

 < 0.001

209 (139, 292)

 < 0.001

 Obese

31.9

57.0 (47.1, 68.4)

 < 0.001

0.83 (0.47, 1.11)

 < 0.001

21.6 (16.1, 27.3)

 < 0.001

1.16 (0.93, 1.50)

0.004

256 (179, 354)

 < 0.001

Alcohol consumption

 Heavy drinker

9.9

64.9 (55.0, 77.8)

 < 0.001

0.93 (0.48, 1.23)

 < 0.001

25.5 (19.9, 31.3)

 < 0.001

1.17 (0.93, 1.52)

0.004

207 (135, 291)

0.025

 Light/moderate drinker

62.7

59.2 (49.2, 70.2)

 < 0.001

0.95 (0.59, 1.23)

0.001

24.7 (19.4, 30.4)

 < 0.001

1.16 (0.93, 1.51)

0.007

207 (136, 290)

 < 0.001

 Non-drinker

27.4

55.7 (45.4, 67.5)

Ref.

0.98 (0.59, 1.29)

Ref.

22.4 (16.7, 28.1)

Ref.

1.18 (0.92, 1.57)

Ref.

216 (140, 310)

Ref.

Taking vitamin supplements

 Yes

53.5

61.5 (51.0, 73.4)

 < 0.001

1.09 (0.82, 1.37)

 < 0.001

25.5 (20.6, 31.2)

 < 0.001

1.35 (1.06, 1.80)

 < 0.001

170 (107, 254)

 < 0.001

 No

46.5

55.5 (46.1, 66.3)

0.74 (0.36, 1.05)

22.2 (15.9, 28.3)

1.01 (0.84, 1.22)

247 (184, 335)

Caloric intake tertiles

 3rd (higher)

33.2

59.9 (50.5, 71.1)

0.002

0.90 (0.54, 1.18)

 < 0.001

24.9 (19.6, 30.3)

 < 0.001

1.11 (0.89, 1.44)

 < 0.001

222 (151, 302)

 < 0.001

 2nd

34.1

58.9 (48.5, 70.4)

0.111

1.00 (0.61, 1.26)

0.980

24.0 (18.5, 30.2)

 < 0.001

1.20 (0.94, 1.57)

0.932

205 (134, 292)

0.824

 1st (lower)

32.7

57.3 (46.9, 69.2)

Ref.

0.98 (0.61, 1.30)

Ref.

23.5 (17.7, 29.3)

Ref.

1.19 (0.94, 1.58)

Ref

202 (127, 293)

Ref

General health status

 Excellent or very good

52.0

59.4 (49.3, 70.6)

Ref.

1.03 (0.70, 1.30)

Ref.

25.6 (20.4, 31.2)

Ref.

1.18 (0.93, 1.53)

Ref.

199 (128, 276)

Ref.

 Good

31.4

58.1 (48.0, 69.4)

0.228

0.90 (0.52, 1.19)

 < 0.001

23.0 (17.6, 29.2)

 < 0.001

1.15 (0.92, 1.51)

0.008

218 (146, 305)

 < 0.001

 Fair or poor

16.6

57.9 (46.5, 70.7)

0.167

0.82 (0.44, 1.14)

 < 0.001

20.9 (15.5, 26.7)

 < 0.001

1.15 (0.91, 1.50)

0.050

237 (154, 337)

 < 0.001

Current asthma

 Yes

6.1

59.3 (48.7, 70.7)

0.540

0.90 (0.53, 1.22)

0.028

23.3 (17.9, 29.5)

0.321

1.15 (0.91, 1.47)

0.043

213 (146, 296)

0.121

 No

93.9

58.7 (48.6, 70.2)

0.96 (0.59, 1.24)

24.2 (18.6, 30.1)

1.17 (0.93, 1.53)

209 (137, 296)

Wheeze in past 12 months

 Yes

15.5

59.0 (48.7, 70.5)

0.030

0.85 (0.42, 1.15)

 < 0.001

23.4 (17.5, 29.4)

0.078

1.14 (0.91, 1.48)

0.001

230 (158, 324)

 < 0.001

 No

84.5

58.7 (48.5, 70.2)

0.98 (0.62, 1.25)

24.3 (18.7, 30.2)

1.17 (0.93, 1.53)

206 (134, 291)

Chronic bronchitis or emphysema

 Yes

6.9

61.1 (48.5, 73.1)

 < 0.001

0.76 (0.36, 1.17)

 < 0.001

23.3 (17.9, 29.2)

0.339

1.21 (0.94, 1.59)

0.057

234 (152, 332)

0.002

 No

93.1

58.5 (48.5, 70.1)

0.97 (0.60, 1.24)

24.2 (18.5, 30.1)

1.16 (0.92, 1.52)

208 (137, 294)