Meta-analysis of Oat Fiber and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

Oat fibre has been shown to lower cholesterol and may have cardioprotective effects. However, whether this translates to actual cardiovascular risk reduction is unclear, as there is a lack of controlled human trials. To address this uncertainty, the investigator proposes to use established cardiovascular disease risk scores, such as those recommended by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and other clinical practice groups, to create composite risk scores in assessing future risk. The data on oat fibre will be collected through a systematic review of controlled trials, composite cardiovascular risk scores will be calculated for each eligible study, and meta-analyses will be conducted to assess the overall effect. The findings generated by this proposed knowledge synthesis will help improve the health of consumers through informing evidence-based guidelines and improving health outcomes by educating healthcare providers and patients, stimulating industry innovation, and guiding future research design.