High Fiber Intake Associated with Lower Incidence of Hyperuricemia

by | May 18, 2022 | 2022, Fiber

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. Analysis of this nationally representative cross-sectional study show that subjects in the highest dietary fiber intake quartile were 13% less likely to develop hyperuricemia compared to those in the lowest dietary intake quartile. 

fiber - oatmeal - whole grainsHyperuricemia (HUA) is a biochemical disorder characterized by elevated levels of serum uric acid, an end product of purine metabolism 1. Increased uric acid (UA) levels are significantly linked to the progression of metabolic syndrome, with high serum UA being documented as a pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant substance, decreasing nitric oxide production and inducing lipid peroxidation 2. Chronically high UA can lead to gout and renal disease, along with cardiovascular disease and hypertension 3. Risk factors for hyperuricemia include age, gender, diet, genetics, environmental exposure and lifestyle 4.

With diet playing a significant role in the elevation of uric acid levels, researchers have studied the role of fiber in the reduction of UA. Dietary fiber, which can be divided into soluble and insoluble fiber, contribute to metabolic health through lowering glucose response, serum lipids, and increasing gut transit time 5. Furthermore, high fiber intake has been identified as a protective factor for the risk of total or cause-specific death 6. The recommended fiber intake is 25 g from women and 30-38 g a day for men, which can be obtained from a variety of fruits, vegetables, and cereal fibers or grains, but many fail to achieve the daily fiber requirement 7.

To better explore the potential role of fiber in the reduction of UA, Zhu et al. analyzed data from the China Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance 2015, a cross-sectional study to assess food and nutrient intake, chronic disease occurrence, and heath status in the Chinese population. Study inclusion was being aged 18 years or older, with complete data regarding demographic and lifestyle factors, diet, medical history, physical examination, and laboratory results. Additionally, subjects were excluded if they did not meet the required energy intake, were nursing or pregnant, or had cancer. Participants (n= 66,427) completed dietary assessments using the three-day (two weekdays and one weekend day) food record method, along with providing a 12 h overnight fasting blood sample. Based off dietary intake, subjects were classified into quartiles depending on their total dietary fiber intake, from the lowest (1st quartile) to the highest (4th quartile), with p value trends being calculated by generalized linear model for continuous variables and Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for categorical variables.

Of the 66,427 participants (males= 31,920, females= 34, 507), only 2.5% of participants achieved the minimum daily fiber intake of 25g/day, with the average subject consuming 8.18 g/day. Results of the multiple linear regression show a significantly inverse association between total fiber intake with serum UA levels. Compared to the first quartile, β and 95% CI of Q2, Q3, and Q4 were -0.03 (-0.05, -0.02), -0.06 (-0.08, -0.05), and -0.06 (-0.08, -0.04) (p-trend < 0.001). Additionally, a negative linear association was found between cereal fiber intake and serum UA levels. When comparing to the first quartile, the β and 95% CI of Q2, Q3, and Q4 were -0.04 (-0.05, -0.03), -0.11 (-0.13, -0.1) and -0.18 (-0.2, -0.16) (p-trend < 0.001). Subjects in the highest dietary fiber intake quartile were 13% less likely to have HUA compared to those in the lowest quartile. Compared to the lowest quartile of fiber intake, the ORs and 95% CI for HUA were 0.93 (0.9, 0.96), 0.85 (0.82, 0.88) and 0.88 (0.84, 0.91), and p for trend was 0.001.

Results of this nationally representative cross-sectional study show that high fiber intake, particularly cereal fiber, was negatively associated with serum UA levels and HUA. Further studies should continue to explore large group populations and the average fiber intake compared to existing disease status to better understand the benefits of fiber for various health concerns. Limitations of the study include the lack of confirmation of the causal relationship of dietary fiber intake with serum UA levels and HUA because of the cross-sectional nature of the study and the potential for recall error pertaining to the use of the 24 h dietary recall method.

Source:  Zhu, Qianrang, Lianlong Yu, Yuqian Li, Qingqing Man, Shanshan Jia, Yonglin Zhou, Hui Zuo, and Jian Zhang. “Association between Dietary Fiber Intake and Hyperuricemia among Chinese Adults: Analysis of the China Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance (2015).” Nutrients 14, no. 7 (2022): 1433.

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).

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Posted May 18, 2022.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

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