Consumption of cruciferous vegetables and glucosinolates in a Spanish adult population

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 62; no. 3; pp. 324 - 331
• Main Authors: Agudo, A, Ibanez, R, Amiano, P, Ardanaz, E, Barricarte, A, Berenguer, A, Chirlaque, M.D, Dorronsoro, M, Jakszyn, P, Larranaga, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.03.2008; Nature Publishing; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: administration & dosage; Adult; adults; adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Body size; Brassicaceae; Brassicaceae - chemistry; Cancer; chemistry; Clinical Nutrition; Cohort Studies; cole crops; cross-sectional studies; Cruciferae; Diet; diet history; Dietary intake; Educational Status; Epidemiology; European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food composition; Food consumption; Food intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gender differences; Glucosinolates; Glucosinolates - administration & dosage; Health aspects; Humans; indoles; Internal Medicine; Leisure Activities; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Middle aged persons; Neoplasms; Neoplasms - prevention & control; Nutrition; Nutritional aspects; Obesity; Oncology, Experimental; Organic compounds; original-article; Physical activity; physiology; prevention & control; Prospective Studies; Public Health; Sex Distribution; Smoking; Smoking - adverse effects; Spain; Spaniards; Vegetables; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Women; Spain; Europe; Cruciferous vegetables; EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition); dietary intake; glucosinolates; Human; Obesity; Glucosinolate; Nutrition; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Malignant tumor; European; Feeding; Prospective; Food intake; Adult; Cruciferous vegetable; Nutritional status; Cancer
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602750

Objective: To assess the intake of glucosinolates and cruciferous vegetables among Spanish adults. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study. Setting: The Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Subjects: We analysed data from 40 684 men and women aged 35-64 years from the EPIC-Spain cohort. The usual diet was assessed by means of the dietary history method, and glucosinolate intake was calculated using a published food composition database. Results: The average intake of cruciferous vegetables was 11.3 g/day, accounting for about 5% of total vegetable consumption, whereas the daily intake of total glucosinolates was 6.5 mg, among which 35% were of indole type. The absolute intake of glucosinolates was in average higher in men than in women (6.8 vs 6.2 mg/day), whereas glucosinolate density per energy unit was higher in women's diet (3.4 vs 2.7 mg/4200 kJ). Northern regions consumed in average 36% more glucosinolates than Southern regions (7.3 vs 5.4 mg/day). There was a positive association of glucosinolate intake with body mass index, physical activity, educational level and an inverse relationship with alcohol consumption. Conclusions: Contrary to the pattern seen for total vegetable intake, our estimate of consumption of cruciferous vegetables, and hence of glucosinolates, is relatively low within Europe, which in turn is lower than in North America and several Asian populations.