You’ve probably seen this short clip doing the rounds - it’s quick, punchy and it highlights a powerful truth: good nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated. And one of the easiest ways to improve your overall wellbeing? Fibre.
What NHANES Shows: Most People Are Undereating Fibre
NHANES - the large, long-term U.S. health and nutrition survey - consistently shows that fibre intake among the general population is well below recommended levels. For example:
- Across the NHANES 2009–2010 cohort, the average daily fibre intake in the U.S. was just 16 grams/day.¹
- In more recent NHANES cycles (2013–2018), even subgroups at higher risk (like people with metabolic syndrome or diabetes) only occasionally approached adequate fibre intake, and the vast majority still fell short.²
And Australia isn’t doing much better. According to the NNPAS – the National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, Australian adults consume an average of 21–25 grams/day, depending on gender - below the recommended 25–30 grams/day for adults.³ ⁴
In other words: many people are only getting about half (or less) of what’s considered a health-supporting fibre intake.
Why That Matters: Health, Longevity and Gut Resilience
When we dig into what the research reveals, the implications are striking: higher fibre intake is associated with a range of significant health benefits.
- In large analyses combining NHANES data over multiple years, those in the highest fibre-intake groups had significantly lower all-cause mortality - meaning a lower chance of premature death overall.⁵
- In older adults with hypertension, higher fibre intake was linked to lower cardiovascular mortality (heart-related causes of death).⁶
- Other studies link higher fibre intake to improved immune and inflammatory markers, suggesting better ability to manage chronic inflammation.⁷
- Fibre also appears to support cognitive and cellular health: one NHANES-based study found that greater fibre intake was associated with longer telomeres - a marker of slower biological ageing.⁸
Altogether, the data suggest that fibre is less like a “nice extra” and more like a true nutritional cornerstone.
Real Food Over Fads — A Simple, Sustainable Reset
The video from Dr Layne Norton - fast, real-food oriented - is a reminder of what many modern diets forget. You don’t need to chase trending powders or extreme protocols. Sometimes, offering your body a steady supply of fibre-rich, whole-food meals is the most impactful change you can make.
How You Can Lean Into Fibre (Without Overthinking It)
If you want to start closing the gap between current intake and where the science suggests you’d be healthiest, here’s a simple blueprint:
- Prioritise whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds - these are fibre powerhouses.
- Swap ultra-processed meals for real-food alternatives - even small swaps add up.
- Make fibre a foundation, not an afterthought.
- Stay consistent. The benefits seen in population-level data come from long-term intake, not one-off efforts.
Want to build a high fibre day, without adding complexity to your diet? Easy – our top tips are here for you.
A New Kind of “Bio-Hack”
Maybe the biggest “hack” you need isn’t complicated at all. According to NHANES - and decades of nutrition research, including Australian data - it’s this:
Feed your body real, fibre-rich foods and let your biology do the rest.
Fibre isn’t a fad. It’s a foundation.
References
- U.S. NHANES 2009–2010.
- NHANES 2013–2018 dietary fibre intake analysis (Cambridge University Press).
- Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (2011–2013).
- Australian Dietary Guidelines — recommended fibre intake (Nutrition Australia).
- Association between dietary fibre intake and all-cause mortality (NHANES).
- NHANES study of fibre intake and cardiovascular mortality in older adults with hypertension.
- NHANES-linked analysis of dietary fibre and immune/inflammatory markers.
- Study on dietary fibre intake and telomere length (NHANES).
