Intakes and sources of isoflavones, lignans, enterolignans, coumestrol and soya-containing foods in the Norfolk arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Norfolk), from 7 d food diaries, using a newly updated database.

OBJECTIVE: A diet rich in phyto-oestrogens has been suggested to protect against a variety of common diseases but UK intake data on phyto-oestrogens or their food sources are sparse. The present study estimates the average intakes of isoflavones, lignans, enterolignans and coumestrol from 7 d food diaries and provides data on total isoflavone, lignan and phyto-oestrogen consumption by food group. DESIGN: Development of a food composition database for twelve phyto-oestrogens and analysis of soya food and phyto-oestrogen consumption in a populationbased study. SETTING: Men and women, aged 40­79 years, from the general population participating in the Norfolk arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Norfolk) between 1993 and 1997, with nutrient and food data from 7 d food diaries. SUBJECTS: A subset of 20 437 participants. RESULTS: The median daily phyto-oestrogen intake for all men was 1199 mg (interquartile range 934­1537mg; mean 1504mg, SD 1502mg) and 888mg for all women (interquartile range 710­1135 mg; mean 1205 mg, SD 1701mg). In soya consumers, median daily intakes were higher: 2861 mg in men (interquartile range 1304­7269mg; mean 5051mg, SD 5031mg) and 3142 mg in women (interquartile range 1089­7327mg; mean 5396 mg, SD 6092 mg). In both men and women, bread made the greatest contribution to phyto-oestrogen intake ­ 40?8% and 35?6%, respectively. In soya consumers, vegetable dishes and soya/goat's/sheep's milks were the main contributors ­ 45?7% and 21?3% in men and 38?4% and 33?7% in women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to estimate phyto-oestrogen intake in Western populations more accurately will aid investigations into their suggested effects on health.