Researchers at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in Amherst wanted to test a theory that increasing fiber would be an easier to follow and more effective diet than the complex American Heart Association (AHA) diet.

Unlike the AHA diet, which restricts dieters from consuming certain foods, the high-fiber diet simply encourages people to eat more fiber-filled foods. The researchers believed that as this approach is more permissive, people might find it easier to stick with than restrictive dieting.

"A high-fiber diet can be filling and tasty, making it a pleasure to eat while losing weight and improving health and well-being," says Barbara Olendzki, RD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine and co-investigator on the study.