title: A New Database Facilitates Characterization of Flavonoid Intake, Sources, and Positive Associations with Diet Quality among US Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiologic studies demonstrate inverse associations between flavonoid intake and chronic disease risk. However, lack of comprehensive databases of the flavonoid content of foods has hindered efforts to fully characterize population intakes and determine associations with diet quality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Using a newly released database of flavonoid values, this study sought to describe intake and sources of total flavonoids and 6 flavonoid classes and identify associations between flavonoid intake and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  One day of 24-h dietary recall data from adults aged ≥ 20 y (n = 5420) collected in What We Eat in America (WWEIA), NHANES 2007-2008, were analyzed. Flavonoid intakes were calculated using the USDA Flavonoid Values for Survey Foods and Beverages 2007-2008. Regression analyses were conducted to provide adjusted estimates of flavonoid intake, and linear trends in total and component HEI scores by flavonoid intake were assessed using orthogonal polynomial contrasts. All analyses were weighted to be nationally representative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean intake of flavonoids was 251 mg/d, with flavan-3-ols accounting for 81% of intake. Non-Hispanic whites had significantly higher (P < 0.001) intakes of total flavonoids (275 mg/d) than non-Hispanic blacks (176 mg/d) and Hispanics (139 mg/d). Tea was the primary source (80%) of flavonoid intake. Regardless of whether the flavonoid contribution of tea was included, total HEI score and component scores for total fruit, whole fruit, total vegetables, greens and beans, seafood and plant proteins, refined grains, and empty calories increased (P < 0.001) across flavonoid intake quartiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new database that permits comprehensive estimation of flavonoid intakes in WWEIA, NHANES 2007-2008; identification of their major food/beverage sources; and determination of associations with dietary quality will lead to advances in research on relations between flavonoid intake and health. Findings suggest that diet quality, as measured by HEI, is positively associated with flavonoid intake.
authors.affiliation: Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD Rhonda.Sebastian@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Rhonda S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7141-7650
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sebastian
authors.affiliation: Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilkinson Enns
authors.affiliation: Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.affiliation: Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: Lois C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Steinfeldt
authors.affiliation: Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: Theophile
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murayi
authors.affiliation: Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD.
authors.forename: Alanna J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Moshfegh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004032:Diet; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake; D007887:Fabaceae; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D014481:United States; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids
keywords: Healthy Eating Index; NHANES; USDA provisional flavonoid addendum; What We Eat in America; flavonoid dietary sources; flavonoid intake