Dietary fiber--in historical perspective

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Gastroenterology
• Public Health

Background:

• Epidemiologic studies suggest a strong association between dietary fiber intake and numerous health conditions.
• These conditions range from constipation and diverticulitis to coronary thrombosis and colon carcinoma.
• The underlying etiology is often attributed to the properties of fiber components like cellulose, lignin, and hemicelluloses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the link between dietary fiber intake and various diseases.
• To discuss the supposed etiology of these conditions based on fiber properties.
• To highlight the need for further biochemical and metabolic studies on dietary fiber.

Main Methods:

• Review of epidemiologic reports linking dietary fiber intake to diseases.
• Discussion of the properties of cellulose, lignin, hemicelluloses, and pectin.
• Brief consideration of other major organic components in plant foods.

Main Results:

• Dietary fiber is implicated in a spectrum of diseases, from constipation to colon cancer.
• The properties of fiber components (cellulose, lignin, hemicelluloses, pectin) are central to proposed mechanisms.
• Other plant food components (protein, fat, sugars, starches) are briefly considered.

Conclusions:

• Improved nomenclature for dietary fiber is desirable.
• Urgent need for comprehensive biochemical and metabolic studies of dietary fiber in foods using experimental animals.
• Such studies are crucial for understanding disease mechanisms and validating epidemiologic findings.