Dietary fiber sources in the United States by demographic group.

Major food sources of total dietary fiber are presented for the whole U.S. population and by age, sex, and race. Revised data on fiber content were applied to dietary intake data from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a representative sample of the U.S. population examined in 1976-80. Vegetables are the principal sources of dietary fiber, followed by bread and fruit. Legumes are important population sources and rank first for several age-sex-race categories when food groups are broken down into more detailed food items. Breakfast cereals make considerably lesser contributions. Data on fiber intake in several age, sex, and race groups are also presented.