Association between Dietary Fiber Intake and Metabolic Syndrome: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

There is little known about the relation between metabolic syndrome and fiber intake are available in Iran. We evaluated the relation between total, and various types and sources of dietary fiber and the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome.

In this cross sectional study, 2457 adults, aged 19-84 years were studied. Total dietary fiber intake and its types and sources were assessed using a validated semi quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Blood pressure, Anthropometric, and biochemical measurements were assessed. The metabolic syndrome was defined according to definition by Iranian National Committee of Obesity.

In the multivariate-adjusted odds ratio, intakes of total (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.39-0.74), both soluble (OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.43-0.84) and insoluble dietary fiber (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.35-0.72), fruit fiber (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.37-0.72), legume fiber (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.53-0.99) and cereal fiber (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.57-0.97) were inversely associated with the metabolic syndrome. There was not significant association between using vegetable and nut fiber and prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

Total dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble fibers, and especially fruit and legumes fibers, reduce the metabolic syndrome among adults in Tehran.