People vow to put on the right weight by paying attention to what they eat and exercising more. Depending on a person’s need, getting in shape may mean losing or gaining weight. This is one of the most famous resolutions by most people every first month of the year. They vow to reduce weight. The holiday foods that people consumed last month had normally brought disaster to their waistlines and health. The salty and fatty fares during the festivities could raise not only the cholesterol and blood sugar levels in one’s body but also their weight.
If one really wants to lose that excess pounds and start living a healthy lifestyle, he may try to consider the advice of some experts which noted that dietary fiber is an essential ally in weight management. Numerous studies have led experts to more fully understand the vital role that dietary fiber can play in the prevention of weight gain and promoting weight loss. It also cited the report from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommending the increase in fiber intake, in conjunction with a low-fat diet and regular physical activity to fight the overweight and obesity battle.
The researcher’s findings that fiber has beneficial effect in weight regulation because high fiber foods generally require more chewing time which gives the body time to register when appetite is satisfied and to stop eating, thus reducing the risk of over consumption in High fiber foods, it added, linger in the stomach longer so the sensation of fullness is sustained longer. It also tends to be less “energy dense” that offers fewer calories for the same volume of food. it is not only for controlling weight but also good against constipation, prevents cancer and improves control of blood sugar level.
According to some expert the daily recommendations for dietary fiber were 38 grams for men and 25 grams daily for women 50 years and younger; and 30 and 21 grams per day, respectively, for men and women over 50. Weight management is important since there is an increasing trend of overweight among adults of both sexes from 1993 to 1998, according to the national survey conducted. Overweight when left unattended could result to obesity, the risk factor to many degenerative diseases like heart diseases, hypertension, and diabetes.


