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Dietary Fiber and Obesity

A Review

  • Chapter
Dietary Fiber in Health and Disease

Abstract

Burkitt and Trowell (1975) extended their hypothesis concerning the health attributes of dietary fiber to include its role in the development of obesity. Others have discussed the relationship of dietary fiber intake to obesity and suggested a variety of mechanisms (Southgate, 1978; Cleave, 1977; Heaton, 1973, 1979; Van Itallie, 1978). Fiber, with its low caloric availability and capacity to bind water, offers considerable opportunity for caloric dilution of foods, while its gut-filling properties and the chewing required during ingestion may trigger components of the satiety mechanism. Fiber has been proposed as an obstacle to energy intake by Heaton (1973) and as related to insulin balance by Albrink (1978), who maintained that low-fiber diets could lead to insulin resistance and obesity in susceptible individuals. No matter what the mechanism is, recent results support the notion that increased dietary fiber intake can aid in the control and management of dietary obesity. Providing bulk without high caloric density may well prevent excessive energy intake.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutritional Research and Development, Bristol-Myers International Division, New York, New York, 10154, USA

    R. Ali

  2. Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, General Foods Technical Center, Tarrytown, New York, 10591, USA

    H. Staub, G. A. Leveille & P. C. Boyle

Authors
  1. R. Ali
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  2. H. Staub
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  3. G. A. Leveille
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  4. P. C. Boyle
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University Medical Center, 20037, Washington, D.C., USA

    George V. Vahouny

  2. The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, 19104, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    David Kritchevsky

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© 1982 Plenum Press, New York

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Ali, R., Staub, H., Leveille, G.A., Boyle, P.C. (1982). Dietary Fiber and Obesity. In: Vahouny, G.V., Kritchevsky, D. (eds) Dietary Fiber in Health and Disease. GWUMC Department of Biochemistry Annual Spring Symposia. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-6850-6_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-6850-6_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-6852-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-6850-6

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