Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Knowledge Gateway
A reference point for public health policy makers with reliable, independent and up-to date information on topics related to promotion of health and well-being.
'Based on the available evidence on bowel function, the Panel considers dietary fibre intakes of 25 g per day to be adequate for normal laxation in adults'.
'…in adults there is evidence of benefit to health associated with consumption of diets rich in fibre-containing foods at dietary fibre intakes greater than 25 g per day…'.
'There is limited evidence to set adequate intakes for children. […] the Adequate Intake (AI) for dietary fibre for children should be based on that for adults with appropriate adjustment for energy intake. A fibre intake of 2 g per MJ is considered adequate for normal laxation in children from the age of one year'.
'Wholegrain cereals, fruits and vegetables are the preferred sources of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP)'.
'The recommended intake of fruits and vegetables and consumption of wholegrain foods is likely to provide >20 g per day of NSP (>25 g per day of total dietary fibre)'.
For adults, 'Intake of dietary fibre should be at least 25–35 g/d, or approximately 3 g/MJ'.
'Wholegrain cereals, whole fruit, vegetables, pulses, and nuts should be the major sources'.
'An intake corresponding to 2–3 g/MJ is appropriate for children from 2 years of age. From school age the intake should gradually increase to reach the recommended adult level during adolescence'.
'The total intake of dietary fibre and especially the intake of whole-grain products, which are foods high in dietary fibre, should be increased, as this reduces the risk of various nutrition related diseases'.
'The dietary reference value for the average population intake of dietary fibre for adults should be 30g/day […] measured using the AOAC methods…'
'It is recommended that fibre intakes should be achieved through a variety of food sources'.
'The average population intake of dietary fibre for children aged 2 to 5 years should approximate 15g/day, for children aged 5 to 11 years 20g/day, for children aged 11 to 16 years 25 g/day and for adolescents aged 16 to 18 years about 30g/ day'.
'No quantitative recommendations are made for children aged under 2 years, due to the absence of information, but from about six months of age gradual diversification of the diet to provide increasing amounts of whole grains, pulses, fruits and vegetables is encouraged'.
In adults, the recommended intake of dietary fibre is of 3.4 g/MJ, or 14 g/1000 kcal
In children, dietary fibre dietary fibre recommendations increase gradually with age: 2.8 g/MJ for the age group 1 to 3 years; 3.0 g/MJ for the age group 4 to 8 years; 3.2 g/MJ for the age group 9 to 13 years, and then the adult value (3.4 g/MJ) for the age group 14 to 18 years.
These recommendations apply to diets containing foods that have not been enriched with purified and isolated dietary fibre.
