Dietary patterns higher in fiber intake are associated with lower risk for multiple chronic diseases. Researchers analyzed a large collection of data to determine the strength of the relationship between eating fiber-rich foods and health. After looking at 33 meta-analyses covering 38 health outcomes and over 17 million individuals, they found that higher intake of dietary fiber is associated with lower risk of:
• pancreatic cancer, diverticular disease, and death from cardiovascular disease: Convincing (Class I) evidence.
• all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, and ovarian cancer: Highly Suggestive (Class II) evidence.
• gastric cancer, malignant tumor of the esophagus, colon cancer, and benign tumor of the colon or rectum: Suggestive (Class III) evidence.
Evidence that dietary patterns high in fiber were associated with lower risk for metabolic syndrome, stroke, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and death from coronary heart disease was weak.
Most of the data in this analysis were from observational studies, which cannot prove cause and effect. Keep in mind that diets higher in fiber tend to be healthier overall, so the overall dietary pattern, not just the fiber, likely accounts for some of the benefits seen.
Intake of dietary fiber remains below recommended levels. Choose naturally fiber-rich foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds) more often. Aim for around 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day.