Dietary intake of polyphenols in adults and older adults residing in Chile: A population-based study

BACKGROUND: Polyphenols are a group of compounds distributed in foods of plant origin and have been considered as effective protective agents against chronic diseases. To date, there are limited data on polyphenol intakes worldwide. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to describe the intake of polyphenols and their subclasses in Chile based on data extracted from the National Food Consumption Survey 2010 - 2012 (ENCA). METHODS: A total of 3658 participants were selected from whom information on food consumption frequency, anthropometric, clinical, socioeconomic and lifestyle variables were available. RESULTS: The mean intake value of total polyphenols was 979.5 + 695.5 mg/day. A higher intake was observed in men than in women. In addition, among adults, there is a higher consumption in the South macrozone. An increase in the intake of total polyphenols was evidenced when the population belonged to the high socioeconomic stratum, and the most consumed types were flavonoids and phenolic acids. CONCLUSION: Due to the growing evidence that shows a protective effect of polyphenol consumption, it is necessary to carry out more research related to the consumption of these compounds, promoting the consumption of foods that provide them and thus contributing to improve the current epidemiological.