"If the advice to eat more fiber seems easy to ignore youre not alone. Most Americans dont get the  to  grams a day thats recommended depending on age and gender. But if youre skimping on fiber the health stakes are high especially if youre a teenage girl. A study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics concludes that eating lots of fiberrich foods during high school years may significantly reduce a womans risk of developing breast cancer. The findings are based on a longterm study of  women who were surveyed about their eating habits in high school. The women also completed detailed questionnaires about their dietary habits every four years. The researchers found that women who consumed high levels of fiber  grams per day on average had a  percent lower risk of developing breast cancer before menopause compared with women who ate low levels of fiber  grams per day on average. For the women on the highfiber diet the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer was also cut by  percent. Of course the idea that highfiber diets can help keep us healthy is not new. Its wellknown http that fiber can prevent constipation and keep the bowel moving by making stools bulkier and absorbing water. Prior studies have shown dietary fiber can protect against httpslup.lub.lu.sesearchpublication colorectal cancer and may lower the risks of diabetes and heart disease. Theres also a growing body of evidence linking fiber to weight management. This new study provides some evidence of yet another potential benefit. This is a really important study ... suggesting that the more fiber you eat during your high school years the lower your risk is in developing breast cancer says Kimberly Blackwell httpsmedicine.duke.edufacultykimberlylynnblackwellmd a breast cancer specialist at the Duke Cancer Center. In a commentary accompanying the study in Pediatrics Blackwell writes There is longstanding evidence that dietary fibers may reduce circulating estrogen levels. And this may help explain the reduced risk of breast cancer. The authors point to other possible explanations too. For instance highfiber diets may reduce the risk of breast cancer by improving insulin sensitivity since fiber can slow down the absorption of sugars and help keep blood sugar levels more stable. Maryam Farvid http a fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health who is lead author of the study says the influence of fiber on cancer risk may be timesensitive. Adolescence is a period when breast cancer risk factors appear to be particularly important she says. One limitation of this new study is that it relies on data from women who had to recall what they ate during high school. They were in their s and  when asked so there could be recall bias  the womens memories may be foggy. The recollection of dietary habits more than a decade earlier must be questioned writes Blackwell. On the other hand she says peoples dietary habits dont really change a lot. ... In general what you eat as a teenager is really formative as to what you eat later in life. So how might the message of this new study linking highfiber diets to a lower risk of breast cancer be communicated to teenagers This is a question Kristi King a dietitian at Texas Childrens Hospital has thought about a lot. She says it can be hard to get the attention of teenagers about healthy eating. Unfortunately for teenagers theyre into instant gratification and theyre not necessarily focused on how their actions today will influence their future health she says. But she says explaining that dietary choices may influence their risk of breast cancer may grab their attention. Most teenage girls do know someone that has been affected by breast cancer says King. So I feel like that touches a nerve with them. Given the known benefits of highfiber diets and the growing evidence that fiber may play a role in preventing disease the governments Dietary Guidelines for Americans also say http most people need to consume more. Women are advised httpiom.nationalacademies.orgReportsDietaryReferenceIntakesforEnergyCarbohydrateFiberFatFattyAcidsCholesterolProteinandAminoAcids.aspx to consume  grams a day. Men are advised to consume  grams a day. So how best to reach these targets Add fiber at each meal says King in the form of fruits vegetables whole grains beans nuts or seeds. Pears are a great bet with  grams of fiber apiece. And check out fiberrich snacks like popcorn and edamame."