ARS | Publication request: Modeling dietary fiber intakes in U.S. adults in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 12, 2010
Publication Date: April 4, 2010
Citation: Fulgoni, V.L., Liska, D.J., Almedia, N.G., O'Neil, C.E., Nicklas, T.A. 2010. Modeling dietary fiber intakes in U.S. adults in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2006 [abstract]. Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 24:745.1.

Technical Abstract: Over 90 percent of adults do not obtain the Adequate Intake (AI) for dietary fiber (DF). Using only reliable recalls in NHANES 2003–2006, we modeled the following changes to assess impact on usual DF intakes in US adults 19+ yrs: 1) increase all fiber containing foods by 10, 25, 50, or 100 percent; 2) increase fiber content of low fiber grain products to a) a good source level (2.5 g/serving) or b) an excellent source level (5.0 g/serving); and 3) increase currently available whole grain foods to meet recommendations. With each scenario, usual DF intake was determined using the National Cancer Institute method. Baseline DF intake was 15.7 g/d with 96 percent of adults not obtaining the AI for DF and 92 percent not obtaining the Daily Value of 25 g/d. Increasing DF containing foods 10, 25, 50, or 100 percent increased DF intake to 16.9, 18.9, 22.1, and 28.5 g/d, respectively with a concomitant increase in calories of 104, 260, 521, 1042 kcal/d, respectively. Adding fiber to low DF grain foods to 2.5 or 5.0 g/serving resulted in DF intakes of 24.7 and 39.1 g/day, respectively without an increase in calories. Increasing consumption of currently available whole grain foods could be expected to increase fiber intake to 25.3 g/day but with an additional 1266 kcal/d. Consuming the recommended level of DF is challenging for most people; adding fiber to low fiber grain products and increasing DF concentration in foods selected will be essential to meet recommendations without increasing calories.