Effect of dietary fiber on circulating C-reactive protein in overweight and obese adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Previous studies suggested that dietary fiber intake may have a lowing effect on circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) level, a sensitive marker of inflammation, in overweight/obese adults with inconsistent results. A literature search was performed in April 2014 for related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analysis was conducted. Meta-analysis including 14 RCTs showed that intervention with dietary fiber or fiber-rich food, compared with control, produced a slight, but significant reduction of 0.37 mg/L (95% CI −0.74, 0) in circulating CRP level among this population. Subgroup analyses showed that such a significant reduction was only observed after combining studies where the total fiber intake was 8 g/d higher in the intervention group than in the control group. No obvious heterogeneity and publication bias were found in the meta-analysis. In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides evidence that dietary fiber or food naturally rich in fiber has beneficial effects on circulating CRP level in overweight/obese adults.

• C-reactive protein
• cardiovascular disease
• dietary fiber
• obesity
• overweight

Declaration of interest

The present work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (No. NSFC-81302425; 81273067), the Basic Research Programs of Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (No. BK20130334), the Priority Academic Program Development (PAPD) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions. The authors report no conflicts of interest.