Estimated intake of dietary
phyto-oestrogens in Australian women and evaluation of correlates of phyto-oestrogen intake.
J Nutr Sci 2012;
1:e11. [PMID:
25191540 PMCID:
PMC4153304 DOI:
10.1017/jns.2012.11]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2011] [Revised: 06/14/2012] [Accepted: 07/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of dietary phyto-oestrogens in health has been of continued interest and debate,
but data available on the distribution of intake in the Australian diet are scarce.
Therefore, we aimed to estimate phyto-oestrogen consumption in Australian women, describe
the pattern of intake and identify correlates of high phyto-oestrogen intake. Study
participants were 2078 control women (18–79 years) from two population-based case–control
studies on gynaecological cancers (2002–2007). Dietary information was obtained using a
135-item FFQ, and the intakes of isoflavones, lignans, enterolignans and coumestans,
including their individual components, were estimated using a database of phyto-oestrogen
content in food developed in the UK. Median total intake (energy-adjusted) of
phyto-oestrogens was 1·29 mg/d, including 611 µg/d isoflavones, 639 µg/d lignans, 21 µg/d
enterolignans and 8 µg/d coumestrol. Both isoflavone and lignan intakes were strongly
skewed towards higher values and positively correlated with age. Women consumed on average
two servings of soyabean foods/week. Compared to lower phyto-oestrogen consumers
(≤1·29 mg/d, median split), higher phyto-oestrogen consumers (>1·29 mg/d) were
slightly older, less likely to be smokers, had a higher educational and physical activity
level, lower BMI, lower intake of dietary fat, and higher intake of fibre, selected
micronutrients and soyabean foods (all P < 0·03). The daily intake
of phyto-oestrogens in Australian women with predominantly Caucasian ethnicity is
approximately 1 mg; this is similar to other Western populations, but considerably lower
than that among Asian women. However, those with a relatively high phyto-oestrogen diet
seem to have a healthier lifestyle and a more favourable dietary profile compared to
others.
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