[Estimation of the daily dietary fiber intake in France]

The recent progress in the knowledge of dietary fiber, largely based on epidemiological evidence, suggests that they have an essential role in human health. Furthermore, the effects of high-fiber diets on bowel habits have been well known for a long time. Several studies showed the correlations between intestinal transit time (ITT) and fecal wet weight (FWW) and FWW and the consumption of dietary fiber. The FWW could therefore be a basis for determining a recommended intake of dietary fiber to achieve a regular ITT in adult humans. It appears that little has been published about food consumption and particularly about dietary fiber intake in France. Using the statistical data on French food consumption published by the French National Institute of Economic Studies, we evaluated the average daily consumption of dietary fiber of French adults at about 16 g. Analyzing several suggestions, we conclude that the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber should be in the range of 30-40 g for French adults.