Fibre Protects Against Cardiovascular Disease, Especially in Women
Date: 25.4.2012
Foods high in fiber provide good protection against cardiovascular disease, and the effect is particularly marked in women. The new study, which was recently published in the scientific journal PLoS One, involved the study of the eating habits of over 20,000 residents of the Swedish city of Malmö, with a focus on the risk of cardiovascular disease. The importance of 13 different nutrient variables (aspects of fibre, fats, proteins and carbohydrates) was analysed.
"Women who ate a diet high in fibre had an almost 25 per cent lower risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease compared with women who ate a low-fibre diet. In men the effect was less pronounced. However, the results confirmed that a high-fibre diet does at least protect men from stroke," says Peter Wallström, a researcher at Lund University and the primary author of the article.
The exact reason for the difference between the sexes is unclear. However, a probable explanation is that women consume fibre from healthier food sources than men do. Women ate a lot of fibre in the form of fruit and vegetables, whereas the most important source of fibre for men was bread.
