Higher fibre linked to improved blood sugar control and survival in diabetes

Researchers have found that a high fibre diet improves blood sugar control and survival in diabetes. The findings have been published in the journal Plos Medicine.

Higher intake of dietary fibre is beneficial and is associated with a reduction in premature mortality and incidence of a wide range of noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors in the population at large. It is also promoted as part of a healthy dietary pattern and in diabetes management.The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses to evaluate the role of high-fibre diets on mortality and increasing fibre intake on cardiometabolic risk factors of adults with prediabetes or diabetes.

They examined prospective cohort studies of dietary fibre intake and mortality as well as controlled trials, which considered the effects of increasing fibre intakes on glycaemic control and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Meta-analyses were undertaken to determine the effects of higher fibre intake on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and increasing fibre intake on glycaemic control and a range of cardiometabolic risk factors. For trials, meta-regression analyses identified further variables that influenced the pooled findings. In addition, dose-response relationships between dietary fibre and these outcomes were explored to determine a more reliable estimate for recommended intakes.