(11-03-11) Bulk up on dietary fiber to lower all-cause risk of death

by John Phillip


(NaturalNews) 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/co...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art...

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