HEALTH NEWS

Study Title:

Fiber and Diabetes Risk

Study Abstract

Aims: To examine the relationship between dietary fiber and risk of type 2 diabetes in older men and the role of hepatic and inflammatory markers.

Methods: A prospective study of 3428 non-diabetic men aged 60-79 years followed up for 7 years, during which there were 162 incident cases of type 2 diabetes.

Results: Low total dietary fiber (lowest quartile;<=20g/day ) was associated with increased risk of diabetes after adjustment for total calorie intake and potential confounders (relative risk, 95% CI −1.47, 1.03-2.11). This increased risk was seen separately for both low cereal and low vegetable fiber intake. Dietary fiber was inversely associated with inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 [IL-6]) and with tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Adjustment for these markers attenuated the increased risk (1.28 [0.89,1.86]).

Conclusion: Dietary fiber is associated with reduced diabetes risk which may be partly explained by inflammatory markers and hepatic fat deposition.

Study Information

S Goya Wannamethee, Peter H Whincup, Mary Thomas, and Naveed Sattar.
Associations between dietary fiber and inflammation, hepatic function and risk of type 2 diabetes in older men: potential mechanisms for benefits of fiber on diabetes risk.
Diabetes Care
2009 July
Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College Medical School, Hampstead Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK.