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Effects of dietary fiber on body mass index: a systematic review of cross‐sectional studies, prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials
Author(s) -
Korczak Renee,
Slavin Joanne L
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1079.3
Subject(s) - medicine , body mass index , randomized controlled trial , prospective cohort study , cohort study , guar gum , pathology
The purpose of this review is to provide an updated discussion on the scientific evidence regarding dietary fiber and body weight or body mass index (BMI). A PubMed search with medical subject headings (MESH) was conducted in January 2012. Certain search terms were used to identify articles that matched our criteria and these were related to fiber OR whole grain AND body weight OR adiposity OR body fat OR BMI. In total, 547 articles were found and of these, 360 articles were eliminated based on title and 160 eliminated based on the abstract. Altogether, 28 studies were included that were published in the year 2000 or later. Seven are cross‐sectional, six prospective cohort and fifteen randomized controlled trials. Altogether, the epidemiological data shows that intake of dietary fiber is associated with a lower BMI or body weight; and the results from some randomized controlled trials are also favorable. The results demonstrate that supplementing with viscous and soluble fibers such as glucomannan, guar gum, alginate, and Konjacmannan significantly (p<0.001) reduced body weight for men and women. The level of fiber supplemented to achieve this varied from 3–18g/day. In conclusion, recent prospective and cross‐sectional data demonstrates that intake of fiber is related to a lower body weight or BMI; and the results from randomized controlled trials are promising. Future intervention studies are required to further elucidate this relationship.