An Assessment of the Dietary Fiber Intake of Selected Students in the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

It is recognized that adequate intake of dietary fiber tends to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, colon cancer and heart disease. This study was carried out to assess the adequacy of dietary fiber intake of 12 male and 12 female volunteer undergraduates of Ibadan University. Food consumption survey was by the direct weighing method for three days. Representative samples of the diets were analysed for moisture and fiber content using the standard methods of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). The study showed that the dietary fiber intake of the students was adequate. Dietary fiber intake of female students (40.5 = 8.5g/day) was significantly lower than the intake (54.2±13.7g/day) of the male students (P<0.05). Cereal based foods contributed the highest (58.2%) while fruits and vegetables contributed the least (9.7%) amount of fiber in the students' diets. Intake of fiber from vegetables and fruits by students should be encouraged.