Interaction of dietary total antioxidant capacity and less-polluted air on serum total antioxidant capacity

Abstract Objective The proper nutrition for workers in areas with high air pollution has not been sufficiently investigated. We plan to study the interaction between air pollution and dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) in terms of the balance between oxidative stress biomarkers. Methods This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 315 adults aged 25–60 among residents of Assaluyeh City (highly polluted) and Jam City (less polluted). A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to determine participants’ daily intake of dietary macro-and micronutrients. Dietary antioxidants were extracted from the two highly polluted and less polluted groups. After excluding outliers, the interaction between air pollution and DTAC affecting the serum total antioxidant capacity (sTAC) was investigated. Results The mean sTAC of workers in the less polluted areas was significantly higher than the mean sTAC of workers in the highly polluted areas. In addition, the mean sTAC among workers who consumed more antioxidants was significantly higher than that of other workers. Moreover, in the less polluted area, by increasing total antioxidant capacity, the serum total antioxidant capacity has also significantly increased. The interaction between air pollution and DTAC on the sTAC was significant (P interaction < 0.05). Conclusion The present evidence indicates that interactions between healthy dietary patterns and less polluted areas may be effective in reducing sTAC by consuming healthy food groups and working in less polluted areas.