Excessive High-Fiber Diets Questioned

A consumer health group said Friday that advocating high-fiber diets “is no longer tenable” as health policy and urged the National Cancer Institute to stop distributing such dietary recommendations.

In addition, the group, Community Nutrition Institute, called on the cancer institute to end its support for a promotional campaign for Kellogg’s All-Bran breakfast cereal that is based on high-fiber claims.

The group said an Australian study suggests that excessive fiber can increase the risk of colon cancer in women. Excessive fiber consumption also increases the risk of dangerous intestinal obstructions, the group said.

But leaders of the group said under questioning that they agreed with the need for moderate fiber intake.

“As a rule, one portion of cereal a day is appropriate, more is not,” the nutrition institute said, and no more than half the fiber intake should come from grains. The rest should come from foods such as fruits and vegetables.

The cancer institute responded that the Australian study implicating fiber as a cancer risk had serious limitations. And Kellogg said it would continue to spread its high-fiber message as long as the cancer institute supports it.