Awareness and Knowledge Regarding the Consumption of Dietary Fiber and Its Relation to Self-Reported Health Status in an Adult Arab Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the awareness, knowledge, and habits regarding dietary fiber intake and to analyze its relationship with self-reported health status among Saudi adults. A survey-based study using face-to-face interview was designed, and 1363 apparently healthy adult Saudi males and females participated. Most participants were females (81.2%), aged 25 and above (87.2%), and were educated at least up to the secondary level of education (80.8%). The majority of the participants were aware of the role of fiber-rich foods in health conditions such as obesity (70.5%), cardiovascular diseases (68.9%), and regulation of blood sugar (68.9%), with females significantly having higher nutrition knowledge than males. A disconnect in translating this nutrition knowledge was observed particularly in food choices when eating out, where preferences for white bread (84.4%), fried potatoes (69.9%) and peeled fruits (60.6%) were significantly higher than preferences for cooked vegetables (29.6%) and brown bread (18.1%). The most common reason for this disconnect was due to perception that foods rich in dietary fibers were expensive (72.1%), have less health benefits (56.5%), were not readily available (51.6%), and participants’ disliking of the taste (52.8%). Participants in the highest quartile (Q4) for dietary fiber consumption reported a lower prevalence of constipation (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval of 0.40, 0.28–0.57, p < 0.01), high cholesterol (0.43, 0.27–0.68, p < 0.01) and obesity (0.67, 0.44–0.98, p = 0.03) than participants in the lowest quartile (Q1). Dietary fiber intake appears to be protective against constipation, high cholesterol and obesity in Saudi adults. However, a disparity observed between knowledge and attitude towards intake of dietary fibers could limit its health benefits. Further studies including adolescents should be conducted to impart knowledge on the emotional, cognitive and sensory factors related to food choices in order to minimize the gap between nutrition knowledge and the consumption of healthy high-fiber diets.

Prevalence, risk factors, and interventions for obesity in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

“…In another study, the majority of respondents (70.5%) were aware of the importance of dietary fiber for controlling obesity, but there was a disconnect in translating this knowledge into dietary practices due to the perception that fiber‐rich food is expensive and unpalatable. Respondents in that study with the highest fiber consumption had a lower prevalence of obesity ( p = 0.03) 41 …”

“…Dietary studies in SA also, in general, lack clarity and the ability to discriminate local practices and customs that may be particular drivers of weight gain. During the past three decades, SA has witnessed a major shift from its traditional diet to the Western diet, particularly high in animal fats and refined sugars 41,42 . SAWHS 2019 also identified insufficient intake of fruits and vegetables among 93% of participants 112 .…”

Saudi Arabia’s Healthy Food Strategy: Progress & Hurdles in the 2030 Road

“…The results revealed that participants had poor knowledge and an elevated consumption of salt, good knowledge of added sugar health risks, yet an elevated intake of sweets and fast foods and a low consumption of F&V [ 52 , 53 , 54 ]. An assessment among Saudi adults prior to the HFS implementation related poor fiber intake to the expensive prices of fruits and vegetables, limited availability and dislike of their taste [ 55 ]. Through educational campaigns, the SFDA intended to address the availability of F&V in the workplace.…”

Consumption Preferences of Pulses in the Diet of Polish People: Motives and Barriers to Replace Animal Protein with Vegetable Protein

“…Pulses are also a rich source of dietary fiber. The daily adult intake of fiber, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), should be between 20–40 g [ 15 , 16 ]. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences 2005 [ 17 ] specifies the recommendations at 14 g per 1000 calories consumed [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”