By Asma’u Ahmad
A nutritionist, Miss Nike Oshinowo, says not eating enough fibre like fruits and vegetables could trigger lifelong diseases.
Miss Oshinowo who stated this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Ibadan, Oyo state, listed diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and digestive disorders as some of the diseases associated with low fibre consumption.
According to her, diet low in fibre will lead to altered physiology or diseases, because of the important physiological effects dietary fibre has on the body.
“While healthy lifestyle choices like exercises are considered important to the prevention of chronic diseases, the role of diet in disease prevention should not be ignored. A low fibre diet is a diet which is inherently low in whole fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains.
“Many diseases, like colon and gastrointestinal tract, heart disease, obesity and diabetes are linked with low fibre diet. Diets low in fibre or high in fat increase the risk for constipation, haemorrhoids, poor sugar control and weight gain; which you know are trigger factors of these diseases,” she said.
The nutritionist said that many of these diseases and conditions, which until recently are rare, were now becoming common because of increased consumption of processed foods.
She said: “Eating foods, as close to their natural state, is always healthier than eating their processed versions. Diet high in fibre plays an integral role in keeping the intestines and colon functioning properly. It helps to regulate bowel movement and reduce constipation.”
