The participants in each group averaged 19 grams of fiber a day. This cluster of health issues greatly increases the risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. All of the volunteers had metabolic syndrome - that is, all of them had high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol, and were overweight.
Neither group received advice or recommendations for exercise. The other half were asked to follow a diet in which the only goal was to eat 30 grams or more of fiber each day. Half were asked to follow the American Heart Association’s (AHA) diet for preventing heart disease, in which you try to eat more fruits, vegetables, high-fiber foods, fish, and lean protein but also cut back on salt, sugar, fat, and alcohol. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School compared the effectiveness of two diets with help from 240 volunteers. Or they might not - in large part because they are complicated.Ī study published in today’s Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that something as simple as aiming to eat 30 grams of fiber each day can help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and improve your body’s response to insulin just as effectively as a more complicated diet. Any of these approaches might work for you. You can try any number of popular diets that forbid certain foods, or focus on just one (the grapefruit diet, anyone?). And there’s no shortage of ways to try to get there: You can count calories, carbs, or points.
Many of us know firsthand just how hard it can be to reach and maintain that healthy weight. Getting to a healthy weight and staying there is an important way to prevent heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and other serious conditions. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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