Dietary fiber intake of adolescents living in a boarding school in north-eastern part of Serbia: comparison of analyzed and calculated values.

The total fiber intake in the adolescent population living in a boarding school was calculated using weighted food records and food composition tables. Total, insoluble, and soluble fiber daily intakes were also analyzed using the enzymatic-gravimetric method. The results were used to estimate the applicability of the calculation method to the Serbian diet pattern. The calculated total fiber daily intake was 28.8 ± 10.86 g/d in winter and 32.6 ± 13.68 g/d in summer season. Analyzed intakes of soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and total fiber in the winter season were 4.2 ± 2.14 g/day, 29.7 ± 12.11 g/day, and 33.65 ± 11.374 g/day, respectively. In summer the season daily intakes were 3.4 ± 1.41 g/day for soluble fiber, 40.6 ± 16.65 g/day for insoluble fiber, and 43.57 ± 17.021 g/day for total fiber. The noticed differences for insoluble and soluble fibers between seasons were significant. The calculation method consistently gave lower values, both in winter and summer samples, in comparison with the enzymatic-gravimetric method, and the difference was on average -20.5% (P <0.05).