10 Apr 2019 --- Dietary fiber may shield against lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as it boosts the production of anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). This is according to a new mouse study from the Priority Research Centre for Healthy Lungs at the University of Newcastle, Australia and the Centre for Inflammation, which is a partnership between the University of Technology, Sydney and the Centenary Institute, Australia. The findings could prove useful for people at risk of COPD and help develop new therapeutic treatments. However, the researchers note that fiber doesn’t protect against every COPD symptom so it should be consumed as a supplement alongside currently approved interventions and not as a replacement.