Isoflavone intake in four different European countries: the VENUS approach.
The aim of this study was to identify the level of isoflavone intake (total isoflavones, daidzein and genistein) in four European countries: Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands and the UK. For this purpose national food composition databases of isoflavone content were created in a comparable way, using the Vegetal Estrogens in Nutrition and the Skeleton (VENUS) analytical database as a common basis, and appropriate food consumption data were selected. The isoflavone intake in Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands and the UK is on average less than 1 mg/d. Small groups of consumers of soya foods could be identified in Ireland, The Netherlands and the UK. The estimated intake levels are low compared with those found in typical Asian diets (approximately 20-100 mg/d) and also low compared with levels where physiological effects are expected (60-100 mg/d). The results (including a subgroup analysis of soya product consumers) showed that such levels are difficult to achieve with the European diets studied here.
TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, PO Box 360, 3700 AJ Zeist, The Netherlands. vanerp@voeding.tno.nl
Marie-Agnes J
MA
van Erp-Baart
Henny A M
HA
Brants
Mairead
M
Kiely
Angela
A
Mulligan
Aida
A
Turrini
Colomba
C
Sermoneta
Annamari
A
Kilkkinen
Liisa M
LM
Valsta
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013025:Glycine max
D007529:Isoflavones; C004742:daidzein; D019833:Genistein