Application of the Flavonoid Database for USDA Food Codes 2007-2010 in assessing differences between the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study and WWEIA, NHANES

Authors: Sebastian, Rhonda; KUCZMARSKI, MARIE FANELLI - National Institute On Aging (NIA, NIH); ENNS, CECILIA - Former ARS Employee; Goldman, Joseph; Murayi, Theophile; STEINFELDT, LOIS - Former ARS Employee; Moshfegh, Alanna; ZONDERMAN, ALAN - National Institute On Aging (NIA, NIH); EVANS, MICHELLE - National Institute On Aging (NIA, NIH)

Submitted to: Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/17/2021
Publication Date: 8/21/2021
Citation: Sebastian, R.S., Kuczmarski, M.F., Enns, C.W., Goldman, J.D., Murayi, T., Steinfeldt, L.C., Moshfegh, A.J., Zonderman, A.B., Evans, M.K. 2021. Application of the Flavonoid Database for USDA Food Codes 2007-2010 in assessing differences between the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study and WWEIA, NHANES. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2021.104124.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2021.104124

Interpretive Summary: Flavonoids are naturally occurring substances found in plants. They are of interest because consuming them may reduce disease risk. In the U.S., some segments of the population have higher rates of certain diseases than the population as a whole. Many of these diseases are related to dietary intake, so it is worthwhile to find out whether these groups’ flavonoid intakes differ from those of the general population. The Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study was designed to focus on health disparities among adults living in Baltimore City. HANDLS participants are grouped by sex (male, female), age (30-49, 50-64 years), race (African American, white), and household poverty status (<125%, >125% of the 2004 HHS Poverty Guidelines). We compared flavonoid intakes between HANDLS participants and adults of comparable age, sex, race, and income from the nationally representative survey What We Eat In America (WWEIA), NHANES. We used 24-hour dietary recall data to compare intakes of total flavonoids and six flavonoid classes (anthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols, flavanones, flavones, flavonols, and isoflavones) between surveys. In all groups analyzed, intake of anthocyanidins was lower in HANDLS. Intakes of total flavonoids and all or most flavonoid classes were lower in HANDLS for men overall and in both age groups and for both men and women with poverty status <125%. The only case of intake being higher in HANDLS was for flavanones among men overall and in the older group and among both men and women in the lower poverty status group. These findings suggest that flavonoid intake may be a factor in the high prevalence of diet-related disease in HANDLS. This information will be of interest to scientists who study relationships between diet and disease. It may ultimately benefit people in population subgroups that experience disparities in diet-related diseases.

Technical Abstract: Flavonoids are polyphenolic plant compounds whose biological activities may promote human health. It is worthwhile to examine whether flavonoid intake varies between populations with differing prevalence of diet-related diseases. The objective of this study was to compare flavonoid intakes in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study with nationally representative estimates from What We Eat in America (WWEIA), NHANES and describe differences by sex, age, and poverty status. The HANDLS study is a fixed cohort of adults 30-64 years of age at baseline residing in Baltimore City. The design is a four-way factorial cross of race (African American, white), household poverty status (<125%, >125% of the 2004 HHS Poverty Guidelines), age (30-49, 50-64 years), and sex. Individuals were included if they completed at least one dietary recall (n = 3,418). The comparison group was all WWEIA, NHANES 2007–2010 participants who were in the same age range, non-Hispanic white or non-Hispanic black, and had a household income <$75,000 per year (n = 2,598). Flavonoid intakes from both surveys were estimated using the Database of Flavonoid Values for USDA Food Codes 2007-2010. Flavonoid intake distributions were transformed to achieve normality prior to parametric testing. Adjusted flavonoid intakes were calculated by sex, poverty status, and age. Sample designs were accounted for in all analyses, and sample weights were applied. Across all subpopulations analyzed, intake of anthocyanidins was lower in HANDLS (p<0.01). Intakes of total flavonoids and all or most flavonoid classes were lower in HANDLS for men overall and in both age groups and for both men and women with poverty status <125%. The only case of intake being higher in HANDLS was for flavanones among men overall and in the older group and among both men and women in the lower poverty status group. These findings of lower flavonoid intakes in HANDLS, particularly among men and those with the lowest incomes, suggest that flavonoid intake may be a factor in the high prevalence of diet-related disease in populations represented by HANDLS. This research illustrates how any survey using USDA’s food codes can utilize the Flavonoid Database in comparing flavonoid intakes.