Why eating more fiber might save lives
Global, regional, and national burden of disease associated with low-fiber dietary patterns for colorectal cancer from 1990 to 2021: A systematic analysis for the global burden of disease 2021
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The highest fiber-linked CRC mortality isn’t in low-income countries — it’s in middle-income ones.
People assume the poorest have the worst diets and health outcomes, but this study shows middle-income countries are in a dangerous sweet spot: they’ve abandoned traditional high-fiber diets but haven’t adopted healthy alternatives or healthcare systems.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 25g of fiber daily — swap white bread for whole grain, add beans to meals, snack on nuts or apples.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The highest fiber-linked CRC mortality isn’t in low-income countries — it’s in middle-income ones.
People assume the poorest have the worst diets and health outcomes, but this study shows middle-income countries are in a dangerous sweet spot: they’ve abandoned traditional high-fiber diets but haven’t adopted healthy alternatives or healthcare systems.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 25g of fiber daily — swap white bread for whole grain, add beans to meals, snack on nuts or apples.
Publication
Journal
Medicine
Year
2026
Authors
Mingming Yin, Anmin Wang, Han-Wen Li, Chunyu Yang, Yuzhou Cai, Yujian Zeng
Related Content
Claims (6)
People who consume more dietary fiber relative to their total energy intake have a lower likelihood of developing colorectal cancer.
Although the rate of colorectal cancer deaths per person has decreased since 1990, the total number of deaths from this cancer linked to low-fiber diets has risen because the global population has grown and aged.
In Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, more people die from colorectal cancer linked to low-fiber diets compared to other regions, with Cambodia having the highest rate at 1.12 deaths per 100,000 people, reflecting differences in dietary habits across regions.
Colorectal cancer deaths linked to low-fiber diets are highest in middle-income countries and lower in both poorer and wealthier countries, suggesting that economic development and dietary changes interact in complex ways with cancer risk.
Diets low in fiber, defined as less than 25 grams per day, are linked to approximately 13,145 deaths and 305,676 years of lost healthy life from colorectal cancer globally in 2021, with the greatest impact seen in people over 50 and in low- and middle-income countries.