A study published in JAMA Network Open showed that cereal fibre but not fruit or vegetable fibre, was consistently associated with lower inflammation and lower CVD incidence. Until now there had been limited data on the link between fiber and inflammation among older adults, who have higher levels of inflammation compared with younger adults.
The research includes data from a large and well-characterised prospective cohort of elderly individuals, with detailed data on dietary intake, inflammation, and incidence of CVD. The research confirmed previously observed associations between dietary fibre and CVD and extended those investigations to include the source of the fibre, the relationship of fibre with multiple inflammatory markers, and to test whether inflammation mediated the relationship between dietary fibre and CVD.
Of the 4125 adults enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study from 1989 to 1990 participants received a food frequency questionnaire that was administered to those without prevalent CVD at enrollment and then were followed up visits for development CVD (stroke, myocardial infarction, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular death) through June 2015. Blood samples were assessed for markers of inflammation.
“Higher intakes of dietary fiber is associated with lower CVD risk. A common hypothesis has been that higher fiber intakes reduce inflammation, subsequently leading to lower CVD risk,” said Rupak Shivakoti, PhD. ‘With findings from this study, we are now learning that one particular type of dietary fiber — cereal fibre — but not fruit or vegetable fibre was associated with lower inflammation. With findings from this study we now are learning that cereal fiber has the potential to reduce inflammation and will need to be tested in future interventional studies.”
Although there are data to suggest that fibre in general might have anti-inflammatory effects by improving gut function, modifying diet and satiety (eg, reduced fat and total energy intake), and improving lipid and glucose profile metabolism, why cereal fibre but not vegetable or fruit fibre is associated with lower inflammation is not clear and warrants further investigation, noted Dr Shivakoti. Additionally, it is unclear whether it is the cereal fibre itself or other nutrients in foods rich in cereal fibre behind the observed relationships.
“Additionally, we learned that inflammation had only a modest role in mediating the observed inverse association between cereal fiber and CVD,” observed Dr Shivakoti. “This suggests that factors other than inflammation may play a larger role in the cereal fiber-associated reduction in CVD and will need to be tested in future interventions of specific populations.
Source: Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health
