Benefit of Whole Grains, and not just the Bran

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Changes in whole-grain, bran, and cereal fiber consumption in

relation to 8-y weight gain among men1,2,3

ine Koh-Banerjee, Franz, Sampson, Simin Liu, R

s, Jr, Donna Spiegelman, Walter Willett and Rimm

1 From the Departments of Nutrition (PK-B, MF, LS, WW, and ER),

Epidemiology (SL, DS, WW, and ER), and Biostatistics (DS), Harvard

School of Public Health, Boston; the Department of Preventive

Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis

(PK-; the Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota,

Minneapolis (DRJ); Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine,

Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston (SL,

WW, and ER); and the Institute for Nutrition Research, University of

Oslo, Norway (DRJ)

Background: Epidemiologic studies that directly examine changes in

whole-grain consumption in relation to weight gain are sparse, and

characterization of this association has been obscured by

methodologic inconsistencies in the assessment of whole grains.

Objective: We aimed to ascertain the associations between changes in

new quantitative estimates of whole-grain intake and 8-y weight gain

among US men.

Design: The study was conducted in a prospective cohort of 27 082 men

aged 40–75 y at baseline in 1986. Data on lifestyle factors were

obtained periodically by using self-reported questionnaires, and

participants measured and reported their body weight in 1986 and

1994.

Results: In multivariate analyses, an increase in whole-grain intake

was inversely associated with long-term weight gain (P for trend <

0.0001). A dose-response relation was observed, and for every 40-g/d

increment in whole-grain intake from all foods, weight gain was

reduced by 0.49 kg. Bran that was added to the diet or obtained from

fortified-grain foods further reduced the risk of weight gain (P for

trend = 0.01), and, for every 20 g/d increase in intake, weight gain

was reduced by 0.36 kg. Changes in cereal and fruit fiber were

inversely related to weight gain. No associations were observed

between changes in refined-grain or added germ consumption and body

weight.

Conclusions: The increased consumption of whole grains was inversely

related to weight gain, and the associations persisted after changes

in added bran or fiber intakes were accounted for. This suggests that

additional components in whole grains may contribute to favorable

metabolic alterations that may reduce long-term weight gain.

Key Words: Whole grains • cereal fiber • bran • obesity • weight gain