02 Apr Study Links Whole Grains With Longer Life and Improved Health

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Lu Qi, MD, PhD, FAHA
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Lu Qi: The previous data from population and animal studies have suggested intakes of whole grain or its fiber (cereal fiber) might benefit improvement of metabolic status such as lipids, inflammation, body weight, and blood pressure. Epidemiological studies have shown high whole grain consumption lower risk of various diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Lu Qi: The study clearly supports to increase consumption of whole grain products to longer life and improve health.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Lu Qi: The supportive evidence for the protective effect of whole grain and cereal fiber on human health from large prospective cohort are accumulating; however, data from clinical trials are still lacking but highly needed to move one step closer to the final conclusion. In addition, experimental studies are also essential to clarify the mechanisms.

Citation:

Consumption of whole grains and cereal fiber and total and cause-specific mortality: prospective analysis of 367,442 individuals
Tao Huang, Min Xu, Albert Lee, Susan Cho and Lu Qi
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston 02115, MA
BMC Medicine 2015, 13:59  doi:10.1186/s12916-015-0294-7

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Lu Qi MD PhD (2015). Study Links Whole Grains With Longer Life and Improved Health 

Last Updated on April 2, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD