Intake of fibers and its association with cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals on a secondary prevention for cardiovascular diseases: a multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: Among the non-pharmacologic measures for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which are the first cause of death worldwide, the adequate intake of dietary fibers (DF) has shown an important role.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between the intake of DF and the cardio-metabolic risk factors in individuals on a secondary prevention for CVD.

METHODS: Transversal study with basal data of the study's DICA Br participants belonging to collaborative centers in the states of Maranhão (MA), Bahia (BA) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Sociodemographic and clinical data were used, as well as the daily intake of DF in individuals of both sexes, with age ≥ 45 years and manifest evidence of arteriosclerosis. The association between the intake of dietary fibers and the cardio-metabolic risk factors was obtained through Poisson's regression model.

RESULTS: With 141 evaluated individuals, high frequency of non-appropriateness of DF intake was observed. The participants in the centers of RJ (PR = 0.63; CI 95% = 0.49-0.80) and BA (PR = 0.79; CI 95% = 0.66-0.95), former smokers (PR = 0.59; CI 95% = 0.45-0.78) and non-smokers (PR = 0.62; CI 95% = 0.66-0.95) had fewer chances of having non appropriate intake of DF. On the other hand, overweight individuals showed 28.0% more chances of non-appropriate intake of DF.

CONCLUSION: Results showed that the majority of the observed population presented non-appropriate intake of DF and that this low intake was significantly associated with overweight, smoking and location of the collaborative center.