DIETARY FIBER: AN INGREDIENT AGAINST OBESITY

Abstract

Nowdays, obesity is considered a health problem worldwide which predisposes to development of various metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer among others, as well as, psychological disorders as depression. This condition has been increased through the time because of changes in lifestyle and modification in feeding type. This review provides an update of recent studies about obesity consequences on health and how a healthy diet, including dietary fiber, can helps to keep a healthy body weight and avoiding several diseases related to this condition. Several studies have reported that a healthy and balanced diet helps to control human weight, added to this, a diet rich in dietary fiber (from natural sources or produced biotechnologically) helps to keep a body weight regulation, control of lipid and triglycerides levels because of its chemical, physical and biochemical features. One of the these features is hormonal regulation through dietary fiber consumption, in as much as that several appetite and satiety hormones in the organism are activated in presence of dietary fiber and provides an effect of satiety which causes a decrease in food consumption. Therefore, consumption of dietary fiber of several sources could be an alternative for controlling obesity-related diseases and preventing this condition.