The Association of Dietary Fiber Intake with Cardiometabolic Risk in Four Countries across the Epidemiologic Transition

Abstract

The greatest burden of cardiovascular disease is now carried by developing countries with cardiometabolic conditions such as metabolic syndrome, obesity and inflammation believed to be the driving force behind this epidemic. Dietary fiber is known to have protective effects against obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. Considering the emerging prevalence of these cardiometabolic disease states across the epidemiologic transition, the objective of this study is to explore these associations of dietary fiber with cardiometabolic risk factors in four countries across the epidemiologic transition. We examined population-based samples of men and women, aged 25–45 of African origin from Ghana, Jamaica, the Seychelles and the USA. Ghanaians had the lowest prevalence of obesity (10%), while Jamaicans had the lowest prevalence of metabolic syndrome (5%) across all the sites. Participants from the US presented with the highest prevalence of obesity (52%), and metabolic syndrome (22%). Overall, the Ghanaians consumed the highest dietary fiber (24.9 ± 9.7 g), followed by Jamaica (16.0 ± 8.3 g), the Seychelles (13.6 ± 7.2 g) and the lowest in the USA (14.2 ± 7.1 g). Consequently, 43% of Ghanaians met the fiber dietary guidelines (14 g/1000 kcal/day), 9% of Jamaicans, 6% of Seychellois, and only 3% of US adults. Across all sites, cardiometabolic risk (metabolic syndrome, inflammation and obesity) was inversely associated with dietary fiber intake, such that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 13% for those in the lowest quartile of fiber intake, compared to 9% those in the highest quartile of fiber intake. Notably, twice as many of participants (38%) in the lowest quartile were obese compared to those in the highest quartile of fiber intake (18%). These findings further support the need to incorporate strategies and policies to promote increased dietary fiber intake as one component for the prevention of cardiometabolic risk in all countries spanning the epidemiologic transition.

Dietary fibre intake and its association with inflammatory markers in adolescents

“…There is insufficient research in adolescents to determine whether age may play a role in the relationship between dietary fibre and inflammation. Adolescents in our study had lower concentrations of hs-CRP than are reported in most studies of adults (8,61,(63)(64)(65) . Although an association between higher dietary fibre intake and lower hs-CRP was found in another adolescent population with similar concentrations of hs-CRP, that study used a 24hr dietary recall method to measure dietary fibre intake (9) .…”

“…While mechanisms by which dietary fibre may decrease disease risk are not fully understood, a higher fibre intake has been associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (5)(6)(7) . Reducing or preventing chronic inflammation is a plausible mechanism, supported by observed associations between higher dietary fibre intake and lower inflammatory markers (8,9) . Some non-digestible dietary fibres are fermented in the intestine by the gut microbiota, creating by-products with the ability to inhibit and suppress inflammation and oxidative stress (10,11) .…”

Whole Fruits and Fruit Fiber Emerging Health Effects

“…The human gastrointestinal tract, and cardiometabolic and immune systems evolved on high fiber plant-based diets (≥50 g total fiber/day), including the consumption of wild berries and other native fiber-rich edible plants by hunter-gathers, and later grains, fruits and vegetables from traditional farming, which provided fiber rich diets until the mass globalization of Western dietary patterns in the 20th and 21st centuries. The low fiber Western diet has contributed to increased risk of weight gain, inflammation, chronic diseases and other health concerns in large part by increasing the risk of colonic microbiota dysbiosis associated with unhealthy immunity, cardiometabolic and energy regulatory processes [13,14,15,16,17]. With the current high prevalence of the Western diet, only about 3% of men and 6% of women habitually consume ≥14 g fiber/1000 kcal, the threshold level considered adequate for optimal health [18,19,20,21,22,23,24].…”

Desenvolvimento, Avaliação Sensorial E Da Composição Nutricional De Preparações Destinadas a Esportistas

“…11 Estudos observacionais mostram benefícios no combate às doenças cardiovasculares associados à redução da ingestão da gordura saturada, aumentando proporcionalmente as insaturadas, o consumo de cereais integrais e das proteínas vegetais. 20 O docinho de tâmara e o patê caprese se destacaram pela baixa quantidade de calorias, gorduras totais e saturadas.…”