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Phyto-oestrogen intake and plasma concentrations in South Asian and native British women resident in England

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

Dee Bhakta ,
Craig D. Higgins ,
Leena Sevak ,
Punam Mangtani ,
Herman Adlercreutz ,
Anthony J. McMichael  and
Isabel dos Santos Silva
Dee Bhakta
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Population HealthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKeppel StreetLondon WC1E 7HTUK
Craig D. Higgins
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Population HealthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKeppel StreetLondon WC1E 7HTUK
Leena Sevak
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Population HealthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKeppel StreetLondon WC1E 7HTUK
Punam Mangtani
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Population HealthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKeppel StreetLondon WC1E 7HTUK
Herman Adlercreutz
Affiliation:
Institute for Preventative MedicineNutrition and CancerFolkhälsan ResearchCenter and Division of Clinical Chemistry University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
Anthony J. McMichael
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Population HealthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKeppel StreetLondon WC1E 7HTUK
Isabel dos Santos Silva*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Population HealthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKeppel StreetLondon WC1E 7HTUK
*
*Corresponding author: author: Dr Isabel dos Santos Silva, fax +44 (0)20 7580 6897, email [email protected]
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Abstract

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Phyto-oestrogens, naturally occurring hormone-like chemicals in plant food, may play a protective role against hormone-related chronic diseases. South Asian migrants in the UK have a lower incidence of hormone-related cancer than their hosts but the extent to which this difference may be due to phytoestrogen intake is not known. The aim was to compare habitual phytoestrogen intake in first-generation South Asian migrant women and native British women. South Asian (n 221) and native British women (n 50) were recruited from general practitioner lists and were asked to provide monthly 24h recalls for a period of 1 year. An enhanced phytoestrogen database was compiled using data from a literature search and unpublished data. A sub-sample of South Asian women (n 100) and the native British women (n 40) also provided blood samples every 3 months during the 1-year period. The median daily intakes (μg/d) of isoflavones (184·2 v. 333·9) and lignans (110·8 v. 148·8) were significantly lower in South Asians than in the native British (P<0·001, P=0·04 respectively).There were no significant differences in mean plasma isoflavone levels (nmol/l) but plasma enterolactone was significantly lower in the South Asians (13·9 (sd17·5) v. 28·5 (SD23·3),P<0·001). The main sources of phytoestrogens were bread and vegetables in both ethnic groups. Habitual phytoestrogen intake in South Asian and native British women was below 1mg/d and was higher in the native British diet. The present study does not support the hypothesis that differences in phytoestrogen intake, or in circulating levels, could explain differences in hormone-related cancer risks between these two populations.

Keywords

Phytoestrogen24-h recallSouth Asian dietIsoflavonesLignansGenisteinDaidzeinEnterolactone
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 95 , Issue 6 , June 2006 , pp. 1150 - 1158
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2006

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