A DOCTOR has welcomed a World Health Organisation (WHO) health study highlighting the benefits of adding more fibre to diets – but fears it will fall on deaf ears.
Dr Jeff Foster, of TFJ Private GP Services, in Leamington, says the 40-year WHO study provides concrete proof to support the advice most medics have been giving their patients for years – and sounds the death knell for so-called ‘fad diets’.
But he is concerned the study will have little impact on the eating habits of the nation despite the news that eating 25 to 29g of fibre per day helps combat heart disease, strokes, Type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Dr Foster told the Observer: “This is a significant study which offers concrete evidence that eating around 30g of fibre per day helps cut the risk of an early death from disease.
“It’s common sense really and something we’ve been advocating for years and years, so this is welcome reassurance.
“Maybe the most positive aspect of the study is that we can now totally counter the claims of these low fibre, fad diets like the Atkins Diet and prove they are not good for you.
“But in terms of this now changing the nation’s general diet and attitude to healthy eating – I don’t think so.
“As a nation our general diet is poor and we certainly don’t eat enough vegetables or fruit. We have developed a fast food culture and we are eating out far more than we’ve ever done.
“People are generally doing less exercise, including children in schools, and there are the socio-economic problems too – it’s cheaper and quicker to buy a McDonalds or a ready meal than it is to cook a fresh meal at home.”
Dr Foster said the issue required a change in culture, rather than just a focus on what people were eating.
He added: “I fear it will be every hard to change these cultural habits even though the merits of doing so help protect you from cancer, heart attack, type 2 diabetes and mild dementia.
“Look at television advertising. The difference between promoting a banana compared to a sugary cereal by Kellogg’s is massive, so it is very hard to counter that.
“Nevertheless, we will continue to advocate the benefits of a properly balanced diet of fresh food, fruit and vegetables, including plenty of fibre.”
