A high fiber diet consisting of vegetables, fruits and whole grains reduces the chances of teenagers getting diagnosed with heart diseases and diabetes when they hit their adult years, according to a study done by Michigan State University in East Lansing.
However, Joe Carlson, leader of the research and head of the Division of Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition at the University, said that even if teenagers have generally fast metabolism, it does not give any license for teens to eat fatty foods.
"It is a fact that if one consumes a lot of saturated fat or trans fat, it raises the total cholesterol level in the body, most especially bad cholesterol," said Carlson. Carlson recommends a high fiber diet for teenagers.
The study looked into the diets of 2,000 teenagers in the United States from 12 to 19 years old. The researchers examined the teenagers for the existence of metabolic syndrome by looking at indications of high blood pressure, increased sugar and fat levels in the blood, low levels of good cholesterol and a larger than normal waistline.
Metabolic syndrome is the term for the combination of factors that lead to having higher risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other health problems. "Metabolic syndrome has always been linked with exercise but not with nutrition. This is what we want to take a look at in this study," shared Carlson.
There are about six percent of the teenagers who were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. There are nine percent of them who had high risk for heart disease and diabetes as they were tasked to eat less fiber in their diet. This is a remarkable comparison to only three percent of the participants who had risk for heart disease and diabetes when tasked to have a high fiber diet. Carlson reiterated that while metabolic syndrome may not be a disease, it increases the risk for those who have been diagnosed with it.
The American Heart Association recommends 20 to 25 grams of fiber each day to have the most benefits from it including lower cholesterol levels and lower risk for cardiovascular diseases. High fiber diet includes grains such as whole wheat pasta, bran flakes, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts, such as lentils, black beans and lima beans.