Association Between Dietary Intake and Blood Concentrations of One-Carbon-Metabolism-Related Nutrients in European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
Journal article, 2025
Background/Objectives: We examined the association between dietary intake and blood concentrations of one-carbon metabolism (OCM)-related nutrients in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Methods: Blood concentrations and dietary intake of the vitamins riboflavin (B2), Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP and B6), folate (B9), B12, and methionine, concentrations of homocysteine, and dietary intake of betaine, choline, and cysteine were pooled from 16,267 participants in nine EPIC nested case–control studies. Correlation analyses between dietary intakes and blood concentrations were carried out. Principal component (PC) analysis identified latent factors in the two sets of measurements.
Results: Pearson correlations between dietary intakes and blood concentrations ranged from 0.08 for methionine to 0.12 for vitamin B2, 0.15 for vitamin B12, 0.17 for vitamin B6, and 0.19 for folate. Individual dietary intakes showed higher correlations (ranging from −0.14 to 0.82) compared to individual blood concentrations (from −0.31 to 0.29). Correlations did not vary by smoking status, case–control status, or vitamin supplement use. The first PC of dietary intakes was mostly associated with methionine, vitamin B12, cysteine, and choline, while the first PC of blood concentrations was associated with folate and vitamin B6.
Conclusions: Within this large European study, we found weak to moderate associations between dietary intakes and concentrations of OCM-related nutrients.
Results: Pearson correlations between dietary intakes and blood concentrations ranged from 0.08 for methionine to 0.12 for vitamin B2, 0.15 for vitamin B12, 0.17 for vitamin B6, and 0.19 for folate. Individual dietary intakes showed higher correlations (ranging from −0.14 to 0.82) compared to individual blood concentrations (from −0.31 to 0.29). Correlations did not vary by smoking status, case–control status, or vitamin supplement use. The first PC of dietary intakes was mostly associated with methionine, vitamin B12, cysteine, and choline, while the first PC of blood concentrations was associated with folate and vitamin B6.
Conclusions: Within this large European study, we found weak to moderate associations between dietary intakes and concentrations of OCM-related nutrients.
partial least square path modeling
EPIC
one-carbon metabolism
blood B-vitamin concentrations
dietary B-vitamins
principal component analysis
nutrients
Author
Jin Young Park
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Heleen Van Puyvelde
Ghent university
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Lea Regazzetti
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Joanna L. Clasen
University of South Florida
Imperial College London
Alicia K. Heath
Imperial College London
Simone Eussen
Maastricht University
Per M. Ueland
Bevital AS
Mattias Johansson
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Carine Biessy
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Raul Zamora-Ros
Institut d'Investigació Biomedica de Bellvitge
José María Huerta
Health Council of Murcia
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública
Maria Jose Sánchez
Universidad de Granada
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública
Escuela Andaluza Salud Publica
Biosanitary Research Institute
Marga Ocke
Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Matthias B. Schulze
University of Potsdam
German Institute of Human Nutrition
Catarina Schiborn
German Institute of Human Nutrition
Tonje Bjørndal Braaten
University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway
Guri Skeie
University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway
Carlotta Sacerdote
Azienda Ospedaliera - Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino
Jesús Castilla
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA)
Servicio Navarro de Salud
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública
Therese Karlsson
University of Gothenburg
Chalmers, Life Sciences, Food and Nutrition Science
Ingegerd Johansson
Umeå University
C. Kyro
Danish Cancer Research Society Center
Anne Tjønneland
Danish Cancer Research Society Center
Tammy Y.N. Tong
University of Oxford
Verena Katzke
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Rashmita Bajracharya
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Cristina Lasheras
University of Oviedo
Øivind Midttun
Bevital AS
Stein Emil Vollset
School of Medicine
Paolo Vineis
Imperial College London
Giovanna Masala
Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO)
Pilar Amiano
Biodonostia Health Research Institute
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública
Ministry of Health of the Basque Government
Rosario Tumino
Hyblean Association for Epidemiological Research
Ivan Baldassari
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan
Elisabete Weiderpass
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Elio Riboli
Ghent university
Marc J. Gunter
Imperial College London
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Heinz Freisling
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Sabina Rinaldi
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
David C. Muller
Imperial College London
Inge Huybrechts
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Pietro Ferrari
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
Nutrients
2072-6643 (ISSN) 20726643 (eISSN)
Vol. 17 12 1970Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Cancer and Oncology
Nutrition and Dietetics
Occupational Health and Environmental Health
DOI
10.3390/nu17121970