Estimated Flavonoids Intake in Korean Adults Using Semiquantitative Food-frequency Questionnaire

Flavonoids are phytochemicals that occur ubiquitously in plant foods that have been reported to have potential roles in the prevention of cancer, inhibition of platelet aggregation or inflammation. However, there was no accurate data reported on the intake of middle-aged Korean population. The present study was designed to assess dietary intake of flavonoids (including isoflavones) of 304 adults (20-59 yr, male 115, famale 189) living in Daejeon area using semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 50 food items, including vegetables, soy products, seaweeds, nuts and beans, fruits and beverages. Our self-administered questionnaire contained questions regarding subject's habitual diet and alcohol intake over the previous 3 months. Average daily intake of individual flavonols such as quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, and flavones such as luteolin, apigenin was 15.7, 8.7, 0.21, 2.07, 0.03 mg/day, respectively. Daily intake of daidzein and genistein, which are the commonly found isoflavones in soy products, were 16.6 and 21.4 mg/day, respectively. Combined intake of flavonoids was 64.3 mg/day. No effect of smoking, drinking and exercise was observed on flavonoids consumption. Food items that has the highest daily intake of each compounds were; quercetin (onion, 9.49 mg/day), kaempferol (strawberry, 1.18 mg/day), myricetin (green tea, 0.81 mg/day), apigenin (lettuce, 0.03 mg/day), luteolin (onion, 0.05 mg/day), daidzein (soybean sprout, 5.99 mg/day), genistein (soybean sprout, 7.02 mg/day). These findings provide valuable information on understanding the dietary flavonoids intake from a typical Korean daily diet, which might help to identify the risks for developing various diseases.

반 정량적 식품섭취 빈도조사 방법을 이용한 우리나라 성인의 Flavonoids 섭취실태 조사