title: Dietary intake of the water-soluble vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 and C in 10 countries in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the intake of vitamins thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamine) and C (ascorbic acid) and their food sources among 27 centres in 10 countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1995 and 2000, 36 034 persons aged between 35 and 74 years were administered a standardized 24-h dietary recall using a computerized interview software programme (EPIC-SOFT). Intakes of the four B vitamins and vitamin C were estimated using the standardized EPIC Nutrient Database (ENDB). Mean intakes were adjusted for age and weighted by season and day of recall.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intake of B vitamins did not vary considerably between centres, except in the UK health-conscious cohort, in which substantially higher intakes of thiamine and lower intakes of vitamin B12 were reported compared with other centres. Overall, meat was the most important contributor to the B vitamins in all centres except in the UK health-conscious group. Vitamin C showed a clear geographical gradient, with higher intakes in the southern centres as compared with the northern ones; this was more pronounced in men than in women. Vegetables and fruits were major contributors to vitamin C in all centres, but juices and potatoes were also important sources in the northern centres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed no major differences across centres in the mean intakes of B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, B6, B12), whereas a tendency towards a north-south gradient was observed for vitamin C.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark. anja@cancer.dk
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authors.lastname: Halkjaer
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authors.initials: CH
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authors.lastname: Buijsse
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authors.lastname: Verhagen
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authors.lastname: Boutron-Ruault
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authors.lastname: Ericson
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authors.forename: P H M
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authors.lastname: Peeters
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authors.lastname: Touvier
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authors.lastname: Niravong
authors.forename: M
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authors.lastname: Waaseth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Skeie
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Khaw
authors.forename: R
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authors.lastname: Travis
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authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sanchez
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authors.lastname: Agudo
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authors.lastname: Overvad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Linseisen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weikert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sacerdote
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evangelista
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zylis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsiotas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manjer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van Guelpen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riboli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Slimani
authors.forename: S
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authors.lastname: Bingham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D001205:Ascorbic Acid