Diets High In Fiber May Reduce Lung Disease

Analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, researchers report in "The Relationship between Dietary Fiber Intake and Lung Function in NHANES," that among adults in the top quartile of fiber intake:

• 68.3 percent had normal lung function, compared to 50.1 percent in the bottom quartile.
• 14.8 percent had airway restriction, compared to 29.8 percent in the bottom quartile.

In two important breathing tests, those with the highest fiber intake also performed significantly better than those with the lowest intake.

"Lung disease is an important public health problem, so it's important to identify modifiable risk factors for prevention," said lead author Corrine Hanson PhD, RD, an associate professor of medical nutrition at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "However, beyond smoking very few preventative strategies have been identified. Increasing fiber intake may be a practical and effective way for people to have an impact on their risk of lung disease."

Fiber consumption was calculated based on the amount of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains participants recalled eating. Those whose diets included more than 17.5 grams of fiber a day were in the top quartile.

Authors cited previous research that may explain the beneficial effects of fiber they observed. Other studies have shown that fiber reduces inflammation in the body, and the authors noted that inflammation underlies many lung diseases. Other studies have also shown that fiber changes the composition of the gut microbiome, and the authors said this may in turn reduce infections and release natural lung-protective chemicals to the body.

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Resource: American Thoracic Society (ATS). "Fiber-rich diet may reduce lung disease." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 January 2016.