MedWire News: A low intake of dietary fiber is associated with an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes in older men, report researchers in the journal Diabetes Care.
“Several prospective cohort studies have observed a protective effect of dietary fiber on the risk for Type 2 diabetes,” explain Sasiwarang Wannamethee (University College London, UK) and team.
“However, this has not been observed in all studies, and the biological mechanisms by which dietary fiber may be beneficial for diabetes are unclear.”
The researchers examined data from the British Regional Heart Study, a prospective cohort study begun between 1978 and 1980 and including 7735 men aged 40–59 years.
They focused on 3428 nondiabetic men who attended a 20-year follow-up visit in 1998–2000 when aged 60–79 years.
The researchers assessed dietary intake of the participants in 1998–2000 using a detailed validated 7-day recall food frequency questionnaire. The men were then followed-up for an average of 7 years for incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
The team found that men who consumed low levels of dietary fiber (20 g/day or less) had a significant 47% increase in relative risk for developing Type 2 diabetes over the follow-up period compared with those with higher intakes.
This association remained valid after adjusting for calorie intake and other potential confounders. However, there was an inverse relationship between dietary fiber and various inflammatory markers, tissue plasminogen activator, and gamma-glutamyl transferase, and adjustment for these factors lowered the relative risk increase for Type 2 diabetes to 28%.
The researchers caution: “This study was carried out in a predominantly White European male population, and further studies are required in women and other ethnic groups.”
They conclude: “The data suggest that a high-fiber diet (at least 20 g fiber/day) in older men may reduce the risk of diabetes, and this appears to be partly explained by its favorable association with hepatic (fat) function and inflammatory processes.”
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