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Nutritional Fiber Reduces The Risk Of Obesity

July 13, 2006

Those persons who consume more fiber present a lesser risk of gaining weight. This is the principal conclusion drawn from a study performed by the following experts from the University of Navarra: Miguel Ángel Martínez-González, Maira Bes Rastrollo, Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Carmen de la Fuente Arrillaga and José Alfredo Martínez.

The research, performed within the framework of the SUN Project of the School of Medicine, has been recently published in the American specialist journal Nutrition. The project was performed over the course of five years on a sample of 11,000 participants; it evaluated, among other factors, physical activity during leisure time, total consumption of energy, use of tobacco and change in body weight. .

In addition, the research project confirms that the foods that provide the largest quantity of fiber are fruits and vegetables, especially oranges, apples, carrots, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard and peas. This shows that the traditional elements of the Mediterranean diet provide an effective weapon for combating the growing epidemic of obesity

Women eat more fruit and vegetables

Without forgetting that the Mediterranean diet is also characterized by its frugality, the ingestion of fruits and vegetables, in place of other foods, is associated with a reduced weight gain. An abundant presence of fiber in food is greater among older persons, those who perform more physical exercise, non-smokers, and those who do not eat between meals. And, as their article shows, women consume more fruits and vegetables than men; this may explain why 30% of the men studies experienced a weight gain of at least 3 kilos during the study period, as opposed to 29% of the women.