Healthy lifestyle reduces IBS risk, new study suggests

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adopt healthy lifestyle A new study has found that it may reduce the risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

For middle-aged and older adults who are physically active, get enough sleep, and eat well. quality foodThe risk of developing gastrointestinal problems was reduced by up to 42% if people reduced their alcohol intake or did not smoke, according to research published on Tuesday. Journal “Gut”.

People with irritable bowel syndrome experience abdominal pain, bloating, and abnormal bowel habits. Chronic symptoms can cause cramps, gas, diarrhea or constipation. According to the Mayo Clinic.

This common disease affects 5% to 10% of the world's population, or up to 1 in 10 people.Effects of illness on the stomach and intestines About mental healthAlthough well known, the causes of this condition are not fully understood, the study authors wrote.

A research team in Hong Kong found that the healthier lifestyle behaviors study participants had, the better their protection against developing IBS. Participants who exhibited one behavior had a 21% lower risk of developing IBS symptoms Compared to those who followed none, those who took both actions had a 36% lower risk. The risk for those who performed 3 to 5 actions was 42% lower.

“This suggests that lifestyle modification may be an effective primary prevention strategy for IBS,” said the study's co-authors. Vincent Chiho ChongA professor at the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said in an email. “To our knowledge, our study is one of the first large-scale studies to confirm that a combination of healthy lifestyle behaviors can significantly reduce the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome.”

So far, most consensus reports on irritable bowel syndrome have focused on diagnosis and treatment rather than prevention, he added.

Previous research According to this study, an individual's unhealthy lifestyle factors are associated with an increased risk of irritable bowel syndrome, and researchers want to see if a combination of healthy factors can help avoid this condition. That's what I was thinking.

The study evaluated 64,268 participants between the ages of 37 and 73 who had not previously been diagnosed with the disorder. UK Biobank, a large biomedical database. After 12.6 years, 961 cases (1.5%) of IBS were reported in the group, with those who did not maintain any healthy behaviors having the highest risk of developing IBS.

Researchers believe that healthy lifestyle behaviors include maintaining high levels of vigorous physical activity, eating a high-quality balanced diet each day, and drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (5 to 15 grams) each day. It was defined as consuming only 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. And never smoke.

When analyzing behaviors individually, the research team found that getting enough sleep each night was most effective in reducing the risk of irritable bowel syndrome, Chong said. People who sleep well have a 27% lower risk of developing this disorder compared to those who don't. More vigorous physical activity reduced the risk by 17%, and not smoking reduced the risk by 14%.

Researchers also found that moderate alcohol consumption, when combined with four other healthy lifestyle behaviors, significantly lowered the risk of developing IBS compared to abstaining from alcohol completely. . The researchers found this to be a surprising result that warrants further investigation, Chung said.

“It is important for individuals to consider their own health status when implementing these discoveries in their daily lives,” Chung said. “For example, abstinence from alcohol can be beneficial if it is in line with personal choice, and older people can engage in moderate levels of physical activity rather than strenuous exercise.”

The research team grouped participants based on the number of behaviors they adopted, grouping participants who adopted three to five behaviors to increase the sample size for analysis. This group was mostly young, female, and had lower levels. body mass index (BMI), were less likely to have a family history of IBS, the researchers said.

“Research into developing primary prevention strategies for irritable bowel syndrome is very important because so many people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, most of them women,” he said. Dr.beverly greenwood van meerveld, a professor of physiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, said in an email. “Evidence from this large cohort suggests that lifestyle choices play an important role in the development of IBS.”

This study did not include stress reduction as part of the observed lifestyle behaviors. Greenwood Van Meerveld is Researched the role played by stress Stress has been studied as a factor that plays an important role in irritable bowel syndrome, so this omission is surprising in the disorder, he said. Additionally, she said, while IBS often develops in early adulthood, age restrictions are a concern, but the current study enrolled participants with an average age of 55.

“Although the measures are limited, the very large sample size provides valuable insight into how middle-aged and older adults can reduce their likelihood of IBS as they age.” Dr.Margaret Heitkemper“This is the first time I've ever seen a doctor in the hospital,” she said in an email, a professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics and an adjunct professor in the Department of Gastroenterology at the University of Washington.

“As the authors point out, irritable bowel syndrome is a heterogeneous condition, and many more factors may be involved,” said Heitkemper, who was not involved in the study. .

Maintain good sleep hygiene and gut health

More research is needed into the impact of high-quality sleep on preventing irritable bowel syndrome, researchers say, says Heitkemper, who studies sleep in women with irritable bowel syndrome. stated that a sleep laboratory may provide more concrete evidence than self-reported sleep in a home setting.

Heitkemper said the study found that maintaining healthy lifestyle factors is important. And following sleep hygiene principles such as not using electronic devices at bedtime and avoiding caffeine in the evening will help those who struggle to get quality sleep, she added.

“Gut health can never be taken for granted and should be protected,” says Dr. Greenwood Van Meerveld. “My advice is to eat healthy and lower your stress levels through daily stress reduction tools such as meditation.”

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