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Healthcare savings from reduced constipation rates attributed to increased dietary fiber intakes: a decision‐analytic model (813.5)

The present study estimated the economic impact of increased dietary fiber consumption on direct medical costs associated with constipation in the U.S. using a decision‐analytic model. The model was developed with the following input parameters from the peer‐reviewed literature: prevalence of functional constipation; current dietary fiber intakes; proportion meeting recommended intakes; proportion expected to experience constipation alleviation with increased dietary fiber consumption; and annual direct medical costs updated to U.S. $ 2012. Sensitivity analyses explored the model robustness to each parameter. Direct medical cost‐savings was $12.7 billion annually among adults. This base case model assumed that 3% of men and 6% of women currently met recommended dietary fiber intakes; each 1 g/d increase in dietary fiber intake reduced constipation prevalence by 1.9%; and all adults would increase dietary fiber intakes to 25 g/d. Sensitivity analyses found that even if only 50% of the adult population increased dietary fiber intake by 3g/d, annual medical costs savings would exceed $2 billion. All plausible scenarios resulted in cost savings of at least $1 billion. The finding that the simple, realistic change of increasing dietary fiber intakes could result in cost savings exceeding $12.7 billion is promising and highlights the need for strategies to increase dietary fiber intakes.