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Consumption of cruciferous vegetables and glucosinolates in a Spanish adult population

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 324–331 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgements

The EPIC study received financial support from the European Commission (Agreement SO 97 200302 05F02), the Health Research Fund (FIS) of the Spanish Ministry of Health (Exp. 96-0032), the Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa de Centros de Cáncer (RTICCC, C03/10), the participating Regional Governments, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Agreement AEP/93/02). The participation of RI was supported by a grant of the ‘Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge’ (IDIBELL). Some authors (AA, CAG) are members of ECNIS (Environmental Cancer Risk, Nutrition and Individual Susceptibility), a Network of Excellence of the 6th EU Framework Programme (FP6, FOOD-CT-2005-513 943).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Epidemiology, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain

    A Agudo, R Ibáñez, A Berenguer, P Jakszyn, G Pera & C A González

  2. Dirección de Salud de Guipúzcoa, San Sebastián, Spain

    P Amiano, M Dorronsoro & N Larrañaga

  3. Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    E Ardanaz & A Barricarte

  4. Departamento de Epidemiología, Conserjería de Sanidad, Consumo, Murcia, Spain,

    M Dolores Chirlaque, C Navarro & M J Tormo

  5. Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Granada, Spain

    C Martinez & M J Sanchéz

  6. Consejería de Sanidad y Servicios Sociales de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain

    J R Quirós

Authors
  1. A Agudo
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  2. R Ibáñez
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  3. P Amiano
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  4. E Ardanaz
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  7. M Dolores Chirlaque
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  8. M Dorronsoro
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  9. P Jakszyn
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  11. C Martinez
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  12. C Navarro
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  13. G Pera
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  14. J R Quirós
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  16. M J Tormo
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  17. C A González
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A Agudo.

Additional information

Contributors: AA generated the idea for this topic, contributed to data analysis, and wrote the draft of the paper. RI and PJ assisted AA in the analysis and production of the paper and carried out the literature search and retrieval. TB, GP and AA carried out the data managing and statistical analysis. AA, PA, EA, AB, MDC, MD, NL, CM, CN, PJ, JRQ, GP, MJS, MJT and CAG contributed to the design of the study, data collection, data quality control and data analysis. All the contributors reviewed the draft, provided comments and gave approval to the final version of the article.

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Agudo, A., Ibáñez, R., Amiano, P. et al. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables and glucosinolates in a Spanish adult population. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 324–331 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602750

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602750

Keywords

  • Cruciferous vegetables
  • glucosinolates
  • dietary intake
  • EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition).

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