Food sources of plant sterols in the EPIC Norfolk population.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the intake of plant sterols and identify major dietary sources of plant sterols in the British diet.

SUBJECTS

A total of 24 798 men and women recruited during 1993-1997, participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC-Norfolk).

INTERVENTIONS

A database of the plant sterol (campesterol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campestanol and beta-sitostanol) content in foods, based on gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) analyses, was linked to nutritional intake data from food frequency questionnaires in the EPIC-Norfolk population.

RESULTS

The mean (s.d.) intake of total plant sterols was 300 (108) mg/d for men and 293 (100) mg/d for women. Bread and other cereals, vegetables and added fats were the three major food sources of plant sterols representing 18.6 (8.9), 18.4 (8.5) and 17.3 (10.4)% of the total plant sterol intake respectively. Women had a higher plant sterol density than men (36.4 vs 32.8 mg/1000 kJ, P<0.001) and in relation to energy intake higher intakes of plant sterols from vegetables, bread and other cereals, added fats, fruits and mixed dishes (all P<0.001), whilst men had higher intakes of plant sterols from cakes, scones and chocolate, potatoes (all P<0.001) and other foods (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The intake of plant sterols in UK, mainly from bread, cereals, fats and vegetables, is much higher than previously reported but comparable to recent European studies.