Prevention & lipidsMeta-analysis
Whole-grain consumption and cardiometabolic risk: a meta-analysis of randomized trials
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials
- random-effects
Authors' conclusion
Whole-grain intake was associated with improvements in multiple cardiometabolic risk factors, with larger effects generally observed at intakes of ∼60-100 g/day.
Study context
- Population
- Randomised trials of whole grains and cardiometabolic risk factors87 trials (101 publications)
- Comparison
- Whole-grain intake, per 48 g/day increment
- Outcome
- Cardiometabolic risk factors (MD per 48 g/day whole grains)
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Cardiometabolic risk factors per 48 g/day whole grains
- body weight; n = 41 trials; high certainty
- MD −.20 kg (95% CI −.31 to −.09)
- waist circumference; n = 27 trials; high certainty
- MD −.22 cm (95% CI −.39 to −.06)
- total cholesterol; n = 54 trials; high certainty
- MD −.10 mmol/L (95% CI −.13 to −.07)
- interleukin-6; n = 12 trials; high certainty
- MD −.12 pg/mL (95% CI −.23 to −.00)
- LDL-C; n = 52 trials; moderate certainty
- MD −.07 mmol/L (95% CI −.10 to −.05)
- TG; n = 52 trials; moderate certainty
- MD −.04 mmol/L (95% CI −.06 to −.02)
- fasting plasma glucose; n = 44 trials; moderate certainty
- MD −.03 mmol/L (95% CI −.06 to −.00)
- SBP; n = 32 trials; moderate certainty
- MD −.82 mmHg (95% CI −1.49 to −.15)
Further pooled results
Dose–response (non-linear analyses)
- Greatest effects at 60-100 g/day for most outcomes; at higher intakes (up to 180-220 g/day) for a few
Original publication
Whole-grain consumption and cardiometabolic risk: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. Eur Heart J. Published 15 September 2026. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehag519
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it