Pilot Study to Estimate Dietary Fiber Intake in Adults Residing in Chile

Abstract

Dietary fiber has been associated with health benefits; therefore, the availability of validated tools to assess food consumption associated with high-fiber foods would allow the quantification of the intake of this functional nutrient, the identification of risk groups and target populations, and the development of public policies and/or programs aimed at improving the health of the population. In this study, a fiber intake short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was translated into Spanish, and its content validity was determined by a group of experts, to subsequently conduct a pilot test including 198 subjects aged 36 ± 12.5 years, residing in Chile (46 men and 150 women), with the purpose of quantifying dietary fiber intake. The global assessment of the FFQ revealed a validity coefficient of 0.98 ± 0.02; after the application of the pilot, the mean dietary fiber intake in adult Chilean residents was 12.3 g per day, with similar results to those found in the National Food Consumption Survey 2010 (12.5 g per day in men, and 11.5 g in women). The FFQ is a quick and valid tool to classify people on the basis of their habitual dietary fiber intake.

Dietary Fibre Intake in Chile: 13 Years after the Last National Report

“…The total fibre intake for the resident population of Chile was 12.4 g/day: a result similar to that found in the pilot study for the validation of the dietary fibre intake short food frequency instrument, which averaged a total of 12.3 ± 6.9 g/day [31], which is equivalent to approximately 50% of the requirements for this nutrient. The intake of fibre should reach 18-38 g/day for adults since it is associated with beneficial effects such as reduced risk of stroke [36]; improved metabolic control in overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases [12,13,15]; the recovery of the intestinal transit [37]; and the reduced risk of certain types of cancer, due to its functional properties such as solubility, viscosity, fermentability, hydration capacity, and its capacity to adsorb organic molecules [38].…”

“…The mean dietary fibre intake was 12.8 ± 7.1 g/day for the total population, which is similar to that reported by the previously published pilot study, where a mean intake of 12.3 ± 6.9 g/day [31] was observed. When comparing the intake by sex, mean intakes of 12.7 ± 6.8 g/day and 12.8 ± 7.6 g/day were observed in women and men, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.467).…”

“…The aim of this research study was to assess dietary fibre intake in the resident population of Chile 13 years after the last national report and to know the main food sources contributing to its intake on the basis of the application of a previously validated short food frequency questionnaire on high-fibre foods [31]. A total of 1761 subjects residing in the national territory participated in the study, who lived mainly in urban areas, with the Centre and Metropolitan macrozones being the most representative.…”

“…For the determination of dietary fibre intake, we used an instrument that had been previously validated in the Chilean resident population (DF-FFQ) [31], which was designed for online application, thus allowing data collection in specific population groups who are difficult to access due to the geographical characteristics of the country. The questionnaire includes 59 foods that contain fibre classified into 5 food groups (fruits, vegetables, breadcereals, dried fruits, and pulses), with consumption frequencies ranging from "never" to "6 or more times per day"; in order to reduce reporting bias in relation to the size of food servings, the questionnaire contained representative images of each group obtained from the Atlas Fotográfico de Preparaciones Típicas Chilenas [Photographic Atlas of Typical Chilean Preparations].…”