Diets high in fiber have shown to decrease death risks

Many recent studies have discussed the increased requirement of fiber in many American diets, but new findings may show that aside from colon benefits, many other health benefits are gained from the added fiber.

Additional benefits discovered from increased fiber in a diet include death risk reductions from infection, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 30,000 deaths over the course of nearly 10 years. Researchers found that individuals who consumed the greatest quantities of fiber were more than 20 percent less likely to die when compared to individuals who at the least amount of fiber.

Other studies have analyzed how fiber intake affects disease risk, but not many studies have analyzed the relationship between fiber and death risks.

The study found that the death risks were reduced for men, but the benefits were not as evident for women. Risk decreases were noticed for certain cancers, but without universal results, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the overall benefits of fiber consumption.

While researchers are confident about the current findings, additional clinical trials are suggested to gain more insight about the long-term health benefits of dietary fiber consumption.

High fiber foods include fruits, whole grains, and vegetables.