Bulk up on dietary fiber to lower all-cause risk of death

Tuesday, March 08, 2011 by: John Phillip
Tags: dietary fiber, good health, health news

(NewsTarget) We`ve been told that a diet high in fiber is good for our health as it improves digestion and lowers biomarkers associated with chronic disease. Researchers publishing in the Archives of Internal Medicine provide important evidence to show that a high daily intake of fiber can lower the incidence of cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases as well as reduce the risk of death from all-causes.

Fiber is the part of plants and whole grains that has been shown to lower the risk from certain cancers, heart disease and diabetes and to assist with weight management. Fiber helps to control blood glucose as it is slowly broken down through digestion and also improves healthy cholesterol metabolism. Prior research indicates that it can also lower blood pressure, reduce systemic inflammation and bind with potential carcinogens for removal from the body.

The research consisted of nearly 400,000 men and women taking part in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study over a period of nine years. Participants answered a food questionnaire at the beginning of the study, and cause of death was determined by linking personal records to national registries to establish dietary fiber intake over the period.

Researchers found that fiber intake ranged from 13 to 29 grams per day for men and 11 to 26 grams for women. Over the nine year course of the study nearly 32,000 participants died. When the average amount of fiber consumed daily was analyzed by the researchers, they found a significantly decreased risk of death for those with the highest fiber consumption.

For men and women in the top fifth percentile of fiber consumption (29.4 grams per day for men and 25.8 grams for women), the all-cause risk of death decreased by 22% over those in the lowest dietary fiber group (12.6 grams per day for men and 10.8 grams for women). When breaking the statistics down by specific chronic conditions, risk of cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases was reduced by 24 percent to 56 percent in men and 34 percent to 59 percent in women with the highest fiber intakes.

Based on the results of this study, researchers recommend a daily fiber intake of 14 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed. Vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains were found to provide optimal disease protection, while fruit consumption was not found to lower the risk of total, cardiovascular, cancer and respiratory disease deaths. Individuals looking to lower their disease risk profile will want to target 30 grams of fiber each day for optimal health.

Article References:
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/sho...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02...
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/216...

About the author

John Phillip is a Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.