Dietary Antioxidant Capacity and Chronic Disease Outcomes

Dietary antioxidant capacity refers to the cumulative ability of consumed foods and nutrients to neutralise reactive oxygen species and curb oxidative stress, a pathophysiological mechanism implicated in the onset and progression of chronic diseases. Measures such as total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and composite dietary antioxidant indices (CDAI) integrate dietary intake data on vitamins, polyphenols, carotenoids and other bioactive compounds. A growing body of observational research has linked higher dietary antioxidant capacity with reduced incidence and severity of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. Mechanistic studies suggest that antioxidants mitigate lipid peroxidation, modulate inflammatory pathways and preserve endothelial function. Despite heterogeneity in measurement methods and residual confounding inherent to nutritional epidemiology, consistent inverse associations have been observed in cross-sectional, prospective cohort and case–control designs across diverse populations.

Globally, dietary patterns rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains—consistent with Mediterranean, Nordic and plant-forward diets—tend to yield higher antioxidant capacities and correspondingly lower chronic disease burden. Public health guidelines increasingly advocate consumption of antioxidant-rich foods as part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent non-communicable diseases. However, standardisation of antioxidant capacity metrics, validation against biomarkers of oxidative stress and well-designed randomised trials remain priorities to translate epidemiological findings into concrete dietary recommendations.

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Dietary Antioxidant Capacity and Chronic Disease Outcomes publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dietary antioxidant capacity and chronic disease outcomes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC): Measure of the cumulative free-radical-scavenging ability of foods based on standardised chemical assays.

Composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI): Aggregate score reflecting intake levels of key dietary antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids and polyphenols.

Oxidative stress: Imbalance favouring production of reactive oxygen species over antioxidant defences, leading to cellular and tissue damage.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD): Chronic condition characterised by arterial plaque formation, predisposing to myocardial infarction and stroke.

References

1. Association between the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study of NHANES Data, 2013–2018. Antioxidants (2023).
2. Association of composite dietary antioxidant index with prevalence of stroke: insights from NHANES 1999-2018. Frontiers in Immunology (2024).
3. Association of the Composite dietary antioxidant index with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: A prospective cohort study. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2022).