Studies on the extent of dietary fiber intake in West Germany

By means of food diaries the volume of the average daily crude fiber and dietary fiber consumption and the percentage contribution of various groups of plant foods to the total dietary fiber consumption was determined in a group of 150 healthy subjects (89 males and 61 females) from four different occupational groups. It thus became apparent that the mean daily dietary fiber consumption was 22.0 +/- 5.5 g in the artisians and workers of a large industrial plant (group I), 24.8 +/- 8.4 g in students (group II), 21.7 +/- 5.5 g in teachers (group III), and 17.6 +/- 7.7 g in administrative employees (group IV). In groups I-III the mean daily dietary fiber consumption was significantly higher than in group IV. In 17% of the subjects, the mean daily dietary fiber consumption was < 15 g. The mean dietary fiber intake per 1,000 kcal (4.18 MJ) in groups II and III, 8.5 +/- 1.5 and 8.8 +/- 2.2 g, respectively, was significantly higher than in group I with a mean fiber intake of 7.2 +/- 1.4 g.