It is widely accepted that fibre intakes in the Arab Gulf have fallen over recent years andalthough figures are scarce, they are low when they are documented1. Based on evidencefrom Europe, the numbers experiencing digestive discomfort and constipation are potentiallyhigh2. Abdominal discomfort, with or without constipation, negatively affects generalwellbeing and quality of life (see Figure). Digestive problems have been found to beassociated with higher stress levels, lethargy, low mood and decreased wellbeing3. }

}Key Fibre facts:Fibre intakes in the Arab gulf are low - inBahrain, adult intakes are just 47% of the intakerecommended in the USA4. Children and youngpeople on average consume just 13g fibreeach day5.

Intake of fibre-rich foods by children andadolescents in most of the Arab gulf has beendescribed as alarmingly low6.

Compared to current intakes most people acrossthe Arab Gulf would benefit from an increase inwheat bran intake of 5-10g each day.

Wheat Bran fibre intake

Low intake High intake

+Irregularity

Constipation

Poor digestive health

Digestive discomfortsymptoms

Psychologicalwellbeingaffected

Optimal digestive

transit time

Slow digestive

transit time

Digestive health

Improvedphysiological

wellbeing

Improvedpsychological

wellbeing

�e E�ect of Wheat Bran andFibre on Health

Consequences of Low Fibre IntakeLack of dietary fibre can lead to digestive discomfort which is linked with wellbeing. Common adverse symptoms are feeling lethargic and bloated and having pains in the digestive system3.

Not All Fibres are EqualWheat bran has been shown to be an effective fibre to reverse the digestive consequences of poor fibre intakes by reducing intestinal transit time and reducing symptoms of discomfort associated with irregularity8, as a consequence improving mental and physical wellbeing and quality of life. Wheat bran contains 43g fibre/100g compared to 21g fibre/ 100g in white rice bran and 15g fibre/100g of oat bran9.

What is Digestive Health?Normal digestive health is difficult to define, but should feel comfortable, not bloated or sluggish, and should be without symptoms of constipation (e.g. straining). Insoluble dietary fibres, like the natural wheat bran found in Kellogg’s All-Bran, provide bulk and help to move food through the digestive system.

As fibre passes through the digestive tract it absorbs water and forms a large soft mass, speeding up intestinal transit time7. Fibre also acts as food for intestinal bacteria, allowing them to thrive and increase bacterial mass, which ultimately ends up in stools8.

Wheat BranSuperior Fibre forDigestive Health

Factsheet®

All-Bran Original

All-Bran Bran Flakes

Wholemeal Bread

Wholemeal Arabic Bread

Bran Biscuits

Parboiled Wheat

27g

15g

7.0g

6.4g

8.3g

1.5g

11g per 40g serving

4.5g per 30g serving

5.3g per 2 slices

5.4g per medium (85g) pitta

3g/biscuit

1.5g per 100g

How Much Fibre is Recommended?There are currently no specific recommendations for fibre intake across the Arab Gulf. Recommendations from Europe are for an intake of at least 25g fibre each day for adults, and for children intakes of 10g/day at 1-3 years, 14g/day for 4-6 years olds, 16g/day at 7-10 years, 19g/day at 11-14 years and 21g/day at 15-17 years8 – a significant increase for all ages compared to reported intakes4,5,6. Increasing fibre intake remains the core feature of lifestyle advice for individuals with symptoms of digestive discomfort10. In terms of wheat bran, studies suggest that an increase of as little as 5g per day can begin to reduce symptoms associated with sluggishness and digestive discomfort11.

How Can Wheat Bran Help?Wheat bran is the outer coating, or husk, of the cereal grain. Digestive comfort is linked to overall positive wellbeing, and constipation has been associated with mental health problems, reduced energy levels and lower mood3. Interventions to boost fibre intakes using natural wheat bran (usually Kellogg’s All-Bran) have shown that within a few days, ratings of fatigue, stress, physical tiredness, sluggishness, mental tiredness, daily bowel activity, bloating and feeling fat all improve significantly12, 13. In addition, the American Society for Nutrition recently undertook a comprehensive literature review and concluded that there is reasonable evidence that consumption of foods rich in cereal fibre and wheat bran is associated with reduced levels of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease14. The benefits of increasing wheat bran intake appear to extend well beyond digestive health.

Selecting Foods High in Fibre and Wheat BranThe fibre content of foods is usually listed on the nutrition panel on food packaging. The GSO Requirements for Nutrition and Health Claim in the Food (GSO 2333/2013) states that foods that contain at least 3g fibre/100g can be labelled as a source of fibre, and those with 6g/100g or more can be labelled as high in fibre15. Looking out for these claims on packaging can be a quick and easy way to identify the fibre content of a food product, as well as checking the nutrition panel for more detailed information. Wholegrain foods are sometimes mistakenly assumed to be high in fibre, which is not always the case. A comparison of wholegrain cereals with fibre contents more or less than 3g fibre/100g shows that individuals who usually choose wholegrain cereals with more than 3g fibre/100g consume 42% more fibre at breakfast and 14% more total dietary fibre compared to those usually choosing wholegrain cereals with a lower fibre content16. Looking for a high fibre flash or checking the nutrition panel is the only reliable way to judge a food’s fibre content.

TABLE 1: COMMON SOURCES WHEAT BRAN FIBRECompared to current intake, most people in the Arab Gulf would benefit from an average increase in fibre and wheat bran intake of at least5-10g per day.

FOOD FIBRE CONTENT PER 100GFIBRE CONTENT

PER TYPICAL SERVING

Replacing white flour with wholewheat flour for all breads and bakingis likely to increase fibre intakes.

Source: Food Composition Tables for the kingdom of Bahrain (2011) and brand websites(e.g.Kellogg’s, grocery retailers etc)

Note: All fibre values used in this document refer to AOAC figures

&

®

REFERENCES1. Musaiger AO (2011) Food Consumption Patterns in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. First Edition, 2011 Arab Center for Nutrition. Manama-Bahrain. 2. Kellogg Report. (2010).Taylor Nelson & Sofres (TNS) Research International; London; UK, 2010. 3. O’Sullivan K. (2012).The superior bene�ts of wheat bran �bre in digestive health. European Gastroenterology & Hepatology Review 8: 3-6. 4. Kingdom of Bahrain Ministry of Health (2002) National Nutrition Survey For Adult Bahrainis Aged 19 Years And Above. Accessed on line August 2014 at: http://www.moh.gov.bh/PDF/survey/nut_survey1.pdf 5. Musaiger AO (2011) The paradox of Nutrition-related diseases in the Arab countries: the need for action. Int J Environ Res Public Health 8: 3637-3671 6. Gharib N & Rasheed P (2011) Energy and macronutrient intake and dietary pattern among school children in Bahrain: a cross-sectional study. Nutrition Journal 2011, 10:62 7. Van Kerkhoven L.A.S, et al (2008) Gastrointestinal symptomsare still common in a general Western population. The Netherlands Journal of Medicine. 66: 18-22. 8. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), Scienti�c Opinion on thesubstantiation of health claims related to wheat bran �bre and increase in faecal bulk (ID 3066), reduction in intestinal transit time (ID 828, 839, 3067, 4699) and contribution to the maintenanceor achievement of a normal body weight (ID 829) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1817. [18 pp.]. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1817. Available from: www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal.htm. 9. US Department of Agriculture Nutrient Databank http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/index.html 10. Tursi A, Papagrigoriadis S. (2009). Review article: the current and evolving treatment of diverticular disease. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 30:532-546. 11. Jenkins DJ et al. (1987). Wheat �bre and laxation: dose response and equilibrium time. Am J Gastroenterol 82: 1259-1263. 12. Lawton CL et al. (2013). Short term (14 days) consumption of insoluble wheat bran �bre-containing breakfast cereals improves subjective digestive feelings, general wellbeing and bowel function in a dose dependent manner. Nutrients 5: 1436-1455. 13. Smith A et al. (2001). High �bre breakfast cereals reduce fatigue. Appetite 37:1-3.14. Cho S et al. (2013). Consumption of cereal �ber, mixtures of whole grains and bran, and whole grains and risk reduction in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.067629. 15. GSO 2333/2013 Requirements for nutrition and health claim in the food. Available at: https://estore.esma.gov.ae/e-store/Default/STDDetails.aspx?std=775816. Williams CL et al. (2012). Analysis of average daily �bre intake among ready-to-eat cereals consumers: role of wholegrain cereals in closing the �ber gap. Am J Lifestyle Med 7: 278-283.

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