The British Nutrition Foundation has published a new report highlighting the scale of the UK’s fibre shortfall and calling for action across the food system to help close the gap. The organisation says the new paper, Dietary Fibre in 2026: An Update on Barriers and Opportunities to Fill the UK Fibre Gap, brings together current evidence on fibre and health, consumer behaviour, product innovation and food system change.
Report points to low fibre intake and limited high-fibre options
According to the Foundation, the report provides an evidence-based assessment of the factors contributing to low fibre intake in the UK and outlines practical ways to improve population intake through changes in the food environment. It notes that fibre has well-established physiological effects, including impacts on gastrointestinal function, glycaemic control and blood lipid profiles.
The report also says higher fibre diets are associated with a reduced risk of cardiometabolic disease and colorectal cancer. The Foundation argues that modest improvements to the fibre content of commonly consumed foods could have a measurable impact at population level, especially if they are combined with efforts to increase intake of foods naturally high in fibre such as wholegrains, beans, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.
Food environments and reformulation are central to the plan
The analysis found that many menu items in the out-of-home sector are low in fibre, with relatively few qualifying as high in fibre. The Foundation says this means the sector could play a key role in making higher-fibre options more accessible to consumers.
Among the priority actions highlighted are reformulation of staple foods through gradual increases in fibre content, product development using wholegrains, pulses and functional fibres, and changes to food environments such as availability, placement and default options. The report also stresses the need for clearer communication, supported by consistent labelling and messaging, alongside cross-sector collaboration involving agriculture, manufacturing, retail and foodservice.
Why the findings matter for UK public health
The British Nutrition Foundation says behaviour change is unlikely to be achieved through information alone. Instead, it argues, progress will depend on coordinated action across the food system to improve both the supply of and demand for higher-fibre foods. In its view, low fibre intake remains a persistent public health challenge that requires integrated responses from policy makers, industry and health professionals.
The organisation describes itself as a charity focused on preventing diet-related illness and promoting health and wellbeing through evidence-based nutrition science. Its latest report adds to the debate over how the UK can shift everyday diets in a way that is practical, scalable and aligned with public health goals.
