Genetics of serum carotenoid concentrations and their correlation with obesity-related traits in Mexican American children.

Dietary intake of phytonutrients present in fruits and vegetables, such as carotenoids, is associated with a lower risk of obesity and related traits, but the impact of genetic variation on these associations is poorly understood, especially in children. We estimated common genetic influences on serum carotenoid concentrations and obesity-related traits in Mexican American (MA) children. Obesity-related data were obtained from 670 nondiabetic MA children, aged 6-17 y.