TY - JOUR
T1 - The EPIC nutrient database project (ENDB)
T2 - A first attempt to standardize nutrient databases across the 10 European countries participating in the EPIC study
AU - Slimani, N.
AU - Deharveng, G.
AU - Unwin, I.
AU - Southgate, D. A.T.
AU - Vignat, J.
AU - Skeie, G.
AU - Salvini, S.
AU - Parpinel, M.
AU - Møller, A.
AU - Ireland, J.
AU - Becker, W.
AU - Farran, A.
AU - Westenbrink, S.
AU - Vasilopoulou, E.
AU - Unwin, J.
AU - Borgejordet, Å
AU - Rohrmann, S.
AU - Church, S.
AU - Gnagnarella, P.
AU - Casagrande, C.
AU - van Bakel, M.
AU - Niravong, M.
AU - Boutron-Ruault, M. C.
AU - Stripp, C.
AU - Tjønneland, A.
AU - Trichopoulou, A.
AU - Georga, K.
AU - Nilsson, S.
AU - Mattisson, I.
AU - Ray, J.
AU - Boeing, H.
AU - Ocké, M.
AU - Peeters, P. H.M.
AU - Jakszyn, P.
AU - Amiano, P.
AU - Engeset, D.
AU - Lund, E.
AU - Santucci de Magistris, M.
AU - Sacerdote, C.
AU - Welch, A.
AU - Bingham, S.
AU - Subar, A. F.
AU - Riboli, E.
N1 - Funding Information:
The EPIC study was supported by grants from ‘Europe Against Cancer’ Programme of the European Commission (SANCO); Ligue contre le Cancer (France); Société 3M (France); Mutuelle Générale de l’Education Nationale; In-stitut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM); German Cancer Aid; German Cancer Research Center; German Federal Ministry of Education and Research; Danish Cancer Society; Health Research Fund (FIS) of the Spanish Ministry of Health; the participating regional governments and institutions of Spain; Cancer Research UK; Medical Research Council, UK; the Stroke Association, UK; British Heart Foundation; Department of Health, UK; Food Standards Agency, UK; the Wellcome Trust, UK; Greek Ministry of Health; Greek Ministry of Education; a fellowship honouring Vasilios and Nafsika Tricha (Greece); Italian Association for Research on Cancer; Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports; Dutch Ministry of Health; Dutch Prevention Funds; LK Research Funds; Dutch ZON (Zorg Onderzoek Nederland); World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF); Swedish Cancer Society; Swedish Scientific Council; Regional Government of Skane, Sweden; Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation. Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain. Public Health Institute, Navarra. Spain Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain. Public Health Department of Gipuzkoa, Health Department of the Basque Country, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain. Murcia Health Council, Murcia, Spain. Health and Health Services Council, Principality of Asturias, Spain This study was also supported by contracts from the US NCI (N02-PC-25023) and the EC (Contract No SPC 2002332 for the ‘EPIC and EuroFIR NoE Contract No. 513944).
Funding Information:
However, despite these major contributions principally oriented towards the harmonization of data management and interchange (or general recommendations), no standardized European food composition databases are yet available. Only recently has a Network of Excellence project on ‘European Food Information Resources’ (EuroFIR) been funded by the European Union (http://www.eurofir.net). The main purpose of this project is to provide comparable nutrient and other food component databases (e.g. bioactive components) between more than 20 participating countries in Europe. However, the end deliverables of this initiative are not expected before 2008–2010.
PY - 2007/9
Y1 - 2007/9
N2 - Objective: This paper describes the ad hoc methodological concepts and procedures developed to improve the comparability of Nutrient databases (NDBs) across the 10 European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). This was required because there is currently no European reference NDB available. Design: A large network involving national compilers, nutritionists and experts on food chemistry and computer science was set up for the 'EPIC Nutrient DataBase' (ENDB) project. A total of 550-1500 foods derived from about 37 000 standardized EPIC 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRS) were matched as closely as possible to foods available in the 10 national NDBs. The resulting national data sets (NDS) were then successively documented, standardized and evaluated according to common guidelines and using a DataBase Management System specifically designed for this project. The nutrient values of foods unavailable or not readily available in NDSs were approximated by recipe calculation, weighted averaging or adjustment for weight changes and vitamin-mineral losses, using common algorithms. Results: The final ENDB contains about 550-1500 foods depending on the country and 26 common components. Each component value was documented and standardized for unit, mode of expression, definition and chemical method of analysis, as far as possible. Furthermore, the overall completeness of NDSs was improved (≥99%), particularly for β-carotene and vitamin E. Conclusion: The ENDB constitutes a first real attempt to improve the comparability of NDBs across European countries. This methodological work will provide a useful tool for nutritional research as well as end-user recommendations to improve NDBs in the future.
AB - Objective: This paper describes the ad hoc methodological concepts and procedures developed to improve the comparability of Nutrient databases (NDBs) across the 10 European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). This was required because there is currently no European reference NDB available. Design: A large network involving national compilers, nutritionists and experts on food chemistry and computer science was set up for the 'EPIC Nutrient DataBase' (ENDB) project. A total of 550-1500 foods derived from about 37 000 standardized EPIC 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDRS) were matched as closely as possible to foods available in the 10 national NDBs. The resulting national data sets (NDS) were then successively documented, standardized and evaluated according to common guidelines and using a DataBase Management System specifically designed for this project. The nutrient values of foods unavailable or not readily available in NDSs were approximated by recipe calculation, weighted averaging or adjustment for weight changes and vitamin-mineral losses, using common algorithms. Results: The final ENDB contains about 550-1500 foods depending on the country and 26 common components. Each component value was documented and standardized for unit, mode of expression, definition and chemical method of analysis, as far as possible. Furthermore, the overall completeness of NDSs was improved (≥99%), particularly for β-carotene and vitamin E. Conclusion: The ENDB constitutes a first real attempt to improve the comparability of NDBs across European countries. This methodological work will provide a useful tool for nutritional research as well as end-user recommendations to improve NDBs in the future.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34447260364&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602679
DO - 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602679
M3 - Review
C2 - 17375121
AN - SCOPUS:34447260364
SN - 0954-3007
VL - 61
SP - 1037
EP - 1056
JO - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 9
ER -
