Whole-grain consumption, dietary fibre intake and body mass index in the Netherlands cohort study

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 31 - 38
• Main Authors: Vijver, L.P.L. van de, Bosch, L.M.C. van den, Brandt, P.A. van den, Goldbohm, R.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.01.2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Cereals; Clinical Nutrition; cohort studies; Complications and side effects; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographic aspects; Diet; Diet Surveys; Dietary fiber; Dietary Fiber - utilization; dietary nutrient sources; Edible Grain; Epidemiology; Evaluation; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fiber in human nutrition; fiber intake; food frequency questionnaires; food intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Grain; Health aspects; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; men; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; middle-aged adults; Multivariate Analysis; Netherlands; nutrient intake; Nutrition research; Nutritional aspects; Obesity; Obesity - prevention & control; original-article; Overweight; Overweight - prevention & control; Plant Structures; prevention & control; Prospective Studies; protective effect; Public Health; risk assessment; Surveys and Questionnaires; utilization; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; whole grain foods; women; Netherlands; Europe; body weight; dietary fibre; whole-grain consumption; obesity; Obesity; Body weight; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Corporal biometry; Feeding; Body mass index; Diet; Food intake; Cohort study; Whole grain; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602895

Objectives: To assess the association of whole-grain and (cereal) fibre intake with body mass index (BMI) and with the risk of being overweight (BMI >or= 25) or obese (BMI >or= 30 kg m-2). Subjects: A total of 2078 men and 2159 women, aged 55-69 years, were included in the analysis, after exclusion of subjects with diagnosed cancer or deceased within 1 year after baseline or with missing dietary information. Results: We found an inverse association between whole-grain consumption and BMI and risk of overweight and obesity in men as well as women. The association in men was stronger than in women; the risk of being obese as compared to normal weight was 10% (95% CI: 2-16%) and 4% (95% CI: 1-7%) lower for each additional gram of (dry) grain consumption in men and women, respectively. Fibre and cereal fibre intake were inversely associated with BMI in men only. Associations were similar after exclusion of likely under- and overreporters of energy. A retrospective analysis of baseline fibre intake and weight gain after the age of 20 years also showed a slight inverse association. Conclusions: Whole-grain consumption may protect against becoming overweight or obese; however, the cross-sectional design of the study does not allow conclusions about the causality of the association.