BIO-SIF
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Estimation of sugar and flavanol intake using recovery biomarkers in a representative UK population using data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (Years 1-6)
IRAS ID
368113
Contact name
Gunter G Kuhnle
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Reading
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Understanding what people eat is essential for nutrition research and public health, but measuring dietary intake is surprisingly difficult. Most studies rely on food diaries or questionnaires, which depend on memory and honest reporting. People often forget what they have eaten or underestimate foods they believe to be unhealthy, leading to recall bias and inaccurate results.
An alternative approach is to measure recovery biomarkers in biological samples such as urine. These biomarkers reflect what has actually been consumed and processed by the body, providing a more objective and reliable measure of dietary intake than self-reported methods alone.
In this study, we focus on two groups of compounds that are highly relevant to public health. First, dietary sugars, where higher intake is known to be associated with overweight and obesity. Because sugar intake is particularly prone to under-reporting, these associations can only be reliably established using biomarkers that objectively capture sugar consumption.
Second, we study flavanols, naturally occurring compounds found in foods such as tea, cocoa, and some fruits. Flavanols have been identified as important dietary components that may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. To understand their potential role in disease prevention, it is essential to accurately assess flavanol intake across the population.
By using urinary biomarkers for both sugars and flavanols in nationally representative samples, this project provides a robust and objective assessment of intake, helping to improve our understanding of diet–disease relationships and to inform future nutrition policy.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/SW/0015
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jan 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion