A large-scale systematic review and meta-analysis of 64 prospective cohort studies (totaling over 3.5 million participants) found that higher dietary fiber intake is significantly associated with reduced risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer.

• All-cause mortality risk was reduced by 23%
• CVD-related mortality by 26%
• Cancer-related mortality by 22%

Insoluble fiber (more than soluble fiber) showed stronger protective effects, and fiber from whole grains, cereals, vegetables, and nuts/seeds was especially beneficial. Notably, fiber from nuts and seeds reduced CVD death risk by 43%.

The findings underscore the importance of increasing dietary fiber intake, particularly from whole plant sources, as a simple, effective strategy to lower mortality risk.

Reference — Ramezani, F., Pourghazi, F., Eslami, M., Gholami, M., Mohammadian Khonsari, N., Ejtahed, H.-S., Larijani, B., & Qorbani, M. (2024). Dietary fiber intake and all‑cause and cause‑specific mortality: An updated systematic review and meta‑analysis of prospective cohort studies. Clinical Nutrition, 43(1), 65–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2023.11.005

Keywords & Nodes

• nutrition
• diet
• food
• 6. Biology
• Mental health is metabolic health.
• Healthy eating seems to support happiness.