This Scientific Update from the Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) discusses a number of key issues, enables some firm conclusions to be drawn on carbohydrates, and identifies a number of areas where more research is required before a definitive recommendation can be made. A key focus was to improve the definition of dietary fibre, which both organizations define as intrinsic plant cell wall polysaccharides. The authors also note that the definition of the term wholegrain requires clarification, even though wholegrains, along with fruits and vegetables, are central to the healthy diet message. Given the overweight and obesity epidemic, the authors raise an important question concerning energy intake and suggest that among free-living individuals, diet macronutrient composition might affect the likelihood of passive over consumption. The authors raise the issue that glycemic index and glycemic load should always be considered in light of other nutritional indicators. The authors conclude that the nature of dietary carbohydrate appears to be a more important determinant of health outcomes than the proportion of total energy derived from carbohydrate intake.
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