Dietary intakes of retinol, β-carotene, vitamin D and vitamin E in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 63; no. S4; pp. S150 - S178
• Main Authors: Jenab, M, Salvini, S, Gils, C.H. van, Brustad, M, Shakya-Shrestha, S, Buijsse, B, Verhagen, H, Touvier, M, Biessy, C, Wallström, P, Bouckaert, K, Lund, E, Waaseth, M, Roswall, N, Joensen, A.M, Linseisen, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.11.2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Aged; beta Carotene - administration & dosage; beta-carotene; Calciferol; Cancer; Carotene; Clinical Nutrition; cohort studies; day of the week; Diet; Diet - statistics & numerical data; diet recall; Diet Records; Diet Surveys; Educational Status; Energy Intake; EPIC-SOFT; Epidemiology; Europe; European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition; fat soluble vitamins; Female; Food intake; Food sources; gender differences; geographical variation; Health Sciences; health-consciousness; human nutrition; Humans; Hälsovetenskap; Internal Medicine; lifestyle; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Metabolic Diseases; Micronutrients - administration & dosage; Middle Aged; Motor Activity; nutrient intake; Nutrient status; Nutrients; Nutrition; Nutrition and Dietetics; Nutrition research; Näringslära; original-article; Physical activity; Prospective Studies; Public Health; retinol; seasonal variation; Sex Factors; Smoking; smoking (habit); Software; temporal variation; Tocopherol; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - administration & dosage; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - administration & dosage; Vitamin E; Vitamin E - administration & dosage; women; β-Carotene; Europe; retinol; β-carotene; diet; vitamin D; EPIC-SOFT; vitamin E
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2009.79

Objectives: To describe the intake of the fat-soluble nutrients retinol, β-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin D and their food sources among 27 redefined centres in 10 countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Methods: Between 1995 and 2000, 36 034 subjects (age range: 35–74 years) completed a single standardized 24-h dietary recall using a computerized interview software program (EPIC-SOFT). Intakes of the fat-soluble nutrients were estimated using the standardized EPIC Nutrient Database. Results: For all the nutrients, in most centres, men had a higher level of intake than did women, even after adjustments for total energy intake and anthropometric confounders. Distinct regional gradients from northern to southern European countries were observed for all nutrients. The level intake of β-carotene and vitamin E also showed some differences by level of education, smoking status and physical activity. No meaningful differences in the nutrient intake were observed by age range. Conclusions: These results show differences by study centre, gender, age and various lifestyle variables in the intake of retinol, β-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin D between 10 European countries.