Increase Fiber to Decrease Heart Disease Risk

While the incidence of cardiovascular disease has been declining in the United States and many European nations, it still accounts for nearly half of all deaths in those nations.  Similarly, coronary heart disease remains responsible for one-third of all deaths in the US and Europe.  Victoria J Burley, from the University of Leeds (United Kingdom), and colleagues completed a study of data contained in six electronic databases from the US, Europe, Japan and Australia, compiled on healthy subjects and concerning dietary fiber intake.  The data revealed that the likelihood of a cardiovascular disease or coronary heart disease event steadily lowers with increasing intake of total, insoluble, fruit and vegetable fiber.   For soluble fiber, a higher reduction was seen in cardiovascular disease risk than coronary heart disease risk; for cereal fiber, the reduced risk of coronary heart disease was stronger than the association with cardiovascular disease.   Notably, a significantly lower risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease was observed with every additional 7g per day of fiber consumed. Writing that: “Greater dietary [fiber] intake is associated with a lower risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.,” the study authors submit that: “Findings are aligned with general recommendations to increase [fiber] intake.”