FLAVONOID INTAKE OF ADULTS IN A BAVARIAN SUBGROUP OF THE NATIONAL FOOD-CONSUMPTION SURVEY

Flavonoids as naturally occuring compounds of plant derived foodstuff reveal some biological effects (antioxidative, antimutagenic, anticarc inogenic) which makes them interesting substances in the prevention of atherosclerosis and cancer in humans. Data on the flavonoid content o f food are not considered in food composition tables, and human intake data are scarce (flavonols) or missing. Consequently, after installin g a flavonoid data base by means of literature data, 7-d dietary proto cols of 119 adults (63 women and 56 men, age 19-49 years) representing a bavarian subgroup of the German National Food Consumption Survey (N VS) were evaluated. In all subjects, average intake of all flavonoids (calculated as aglycons) amounts to 54,0 mg/d (median) with a great ra nge of variability. The most important flavonoid groups are flavonols (12,0 mg/d), catechins (8,3 mg/d), and flavanons (13,2 mg/d), followed by anthocyanidins (2,7 mg/d), proanthocyanins (3,7 mg/d) and phloreti n (dihydrochalcone) (0,7 mg/d). Sex differences did not reach statisti cal significance. Fruits, fruit products and fruit juices were the mos t important flavonoid sources. Vegetables and its products provided ab out half of the flavonol intake. Therefore, statistically significant correlations (p < 0.001) exist between total flavonoid intake and the intake of vitamin C (r = 0.59) or dietary fiber (r = 0.49). Compared t o other countries, flavonol intake of the investigated group of person s is rather low. With the built data base it was possible for the firs t time to calculate the intake of further flavonoids besides flavonols . In comparison to the intake of other antioxidants (e.g. vitamins C a nd E) the amount of flavonoids in the diet is considerably high and th erefore should be regarded in further investigations on the role of di et in certain diseases.