Fibre in the prevention and management of chronic disease

Some of the evidence of the role of dietary fibre in the prevention and treatment of disease is reviewed and the heterogeneous nature of fibre is considered. The relationships between various fibre fractions and colonic disorders, including cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolaemia and obesity are discussed. It is concluded that an increase of dietary fibre constituents is only one part of a programme of dietary modification relevant to chronic diseases of a Western industrialised society.