Objectives: To study the magnitude of and trends in energy underreporting and to compare food consumption, nutrient intake and socioeconomic characteristics of underreporters to those of other Finnish adults. Design: Cardioavscular risk factor surveys in 1982 and 1992 using a 3 d food record. Underreporting was de®ned as energy intake lower than 1.27*BMR, since energy intake`1.27*BMR is improbable. Setting: Four areas in Finland, both rural and urban. Subjects: 1746 men and 1921 women, aged 25±64 y. Results: Proportion of underreporters has increased from 33% in 1982 to 46% in 1992 among women and from 27% in 1982 to 42% in 1992 among men. In a logistic regression model, BMI over 25 kg/m 2 , female gender, age over 45 y and high educational level predicted underreporting. Shares of energy intake from fat, carbhoydrates, protein and alcohol remained the same whether or not underreporters were excluded. However, underreporters consumed signi®cantly higher proportion of vegetables, ®sh, meat, potatoes, fruit and berries and less fat than others. In the 1992 data the absolute intake of most micronutrients increased and micronutrient densities decreased when underreporters were excluded. Conclusions: The proportion of underreporters has grown from 1982 to 1992. Results expressed as a percentage of energy intake are not affected by the exclusion of underreporters. In contrast, micronutrient intakes, both absolute and energy density values, were distorted by underreporting. Underreporting should be taken into account in future studies.

Background and Purpose-Antioxidants may protect against atherosclerosis and thus prevent cerebrovascular disease. We studied the association between dietary antioxidants and subtypes of stroke. Methods-The study cohort consisted of 26 593 male smokers, aged 50 to 69 years, without a history of stroke.

BackgroundRecent European Union regulation requires setting of maximum amount of micronutrients in dietary supplements or foods taking into account the tolerable upper intake level (ULs) established by scientific risk assessment and population reference intakes.ObjectiveTo collect and evaluate recently available data on intakes of selected vitamins and minerals from conventional foods, food supplements and fortified foods in adults and children. Intake of calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, zinc, folic acid, niacin and total vitamin A/retinol, B6, D and E was derived from nationally representative surveys in Denmark, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Intake of high consumers, defined as the 95th percentile of each nutrient, was compared to the UL.ResultsFor most nutrients, adults and children generally consume considerably less than the UL with exceptions being retinol, zinc, iodine, copper and magnesium. The major contributor to intakes for all nutrients and in all countries is from foods in the base diet. The patterns of food supplements and voluntary fortification vary widely among countries with food supplements being responsible for the largest differences in total intakes. In the present study, for those countries with data on fortified foods, fortified foods do not significantly contribute to higher intakes for any nutrient. Total nutrient intake expressed as percentage of the UL is generally higher in children than in adults.ConclusionThe risk of excessive intakes is relatively low for the majority of nutrients with a few exceptions. Children are the most vulnerable group as they are more likely to exhibit high intakes relative to the UL. There is a need to develop improved methods for estimating intakes of micronutrients from fortified foods and food supplements in future dietary surveys.

Flavonols and flavones are antioxidant polyphenolic compounds found in tea, vegetables, fruits, and wine. In experimental studies they have been effective free radical scavengers, metal chelators, and antithrombotic agents. In the few epidemiologic studies of these agents, some have suggested an inverse association between intake of flavonols and flavones and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Our study population comprised 25,372 male smokers, 50-69 years of age, with no previous myocardial infarction. They were participants of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study, which was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with daily supplementation of alpha-tocopherol (50 mg per day) and/or beta-carotene (20 mg per day). The men completed a validated dietary questionnaire at baseline. After 6.1 years of follow-up, there were 1,122 nonfatal myocardial infarctions and 815 coronary deaths. In the multivariate model, the relative risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction was 0.77 (95% confidence interval = 0.64-0.93) among men in the highest (median 18 mg per day) compared with the lowest (median 4 mg per day) quintile of flavonol and flavone intake. The respective relative risk for coronary death was 0.89 (95% confidence interval = 0.71-1.11). Thus, intake of flavonols and flavones was inversely associated with nonfatal myocardial infarction, whereas there was a weaker association with coronary death.

Background: Recent European Union regulation requires setting of maximum amount of micronutrients in dietary supplements or foods taking into account the tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) established by scientific risk assessment and population reference intakes. Objective: To collect and evaluate recently available data on intakes of selected vitamins and minerals from conventional foods, food supplements and fortified foods in adults and children. Intake of calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, zinc, folic acid, niacin and total vitamin A/retinol, B 6 , D and E was derived from nationally representative surveys in Denmark,