This report analyzed data from 185 prospective studies and 58 clinical trials, representing nearly 135 million person-years, to evaluate the relationship between carbohydrate quality and health outcomes. It examined dietary fiber, whole grains, and glycemic measures in relation to non-communicable diseases.
Key Points:
- High dietary fiber intake was associated with a 15–30% reduction in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular-related mortality, and the incidence of coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer.
- Clinical trials linked higher dietary fiber intake to reduced body weight, lower systolic blood pressure, and decreased total cholesterol.
- Risk reduction was greatest with fiber intakes between 25–29 g/day, with dose-response data suggesting even greater benefits at higher intakes.
- Whole grain intake showed similar protective effects, while low glycemic index or load diets had smaller or no significant risk reductions.
- Evidence quality was graded moderate for dietary fiber, low to moderate for whole grains, and low to very low for glycemic measures.
The findings supports increasing dietary fiber intake and replacing refined grains with whole grains to reduce non-communicable disease risks. The study highlights strong dose-response relationships and calls for public health efforts to improve carbohydrate quality in diets.
