Reduce IBS risk with a healthy lifestyle, new study suggests | Top Vip News

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Adopt a healthy life style may reduce the risk of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, a new study found.

For middle-aged and older adults who were physically active, got enough sleep, ate a quality dietmoderate alcohol consumption or not smoking, the risk of developing this gastrointestinal disorder was reduced by up to 42%, according to the study published Tuesday in tripa magazine.

People living with irritable bowel syndrome experience abdominal pain, bloating, and abnormal bowel habits. The chronic condition can cause cramps, gas, and diarrhea or constipation. according to the mayo clinic.

This common disorder affects 5% to 10% of the world’s population, or up to 1 in 10 people worldwide. The impact of the disorder on the stomach and intestines, as well as about mental well-beingIt is well recognized, but the cause of the condition is not fully understood, the study authors wrote.

A research team in Hong Kong found that the more healthy lifestyle habits study participants followed, the greater their protection against the onset of IBS. Participants who exhibited a behavior had a 21% lower risk of developing IBS symptoms compared to those who followed neither, while those who adopted two behaviors had a 36% lower risk. Those who performed three to five of the behaviors had a 42% lower risk.

“This suggests that lifestyle modifications have the potential to be an effective primary prevention strategy for IBS,” said the study’s co-author. Vincent Chi-ho Chung, professor at the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in an email. “To our knowledge, our study is one of the first large-scale studies to confirm that a combination of healthy lifestyle habits… can significantly reduce the risk of developing IBS.”

Until now, most consensus reports on IBS have focused on diagnosis and treatment rather than prevention, he added.

Previous studies Individual unhealthy lifestyle factors have been linked to an increased risk of IBS, according to the study, and researchers wanted to see if a combination of healthy factors would protect against the condition.

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

The researchers defined healthy lifestyle behaviors as maintaining a high level of vigorous physical activity, eating a high-quality balanced diet daily, consuming only a moderate amount of alcohol per day (5 to 15 grams), sleeping between seven and nine hours a night, and never smoke.

When analyzing the behaviors separately, the study team found that getting enough sleep each night was most influential in reducing the risk of IBS, Chung said. People who have good quality sleep have a 27% lower risk of developing the disorder compared to those who do not. Engaging in more vigorous physical activity reduced the risk by 17%, while never smoking had a 14% risk reduction.

The researchers also found that moderate alcohol consumption, when combined with the other four healthy lifestyle habits, caused a greater reduction in the risk of developing IBS compared to complete abstinence from alcohol. The researchers found this to be a surprising result that requires further investigation, Chung said.

“It is important for people to consider their own health conditions when implementing these findings into daily life,” Chung said. “For example, abstaining from alcohol can still provide benefits if it aligns with personal choices, and older adults can engage in physical activity at a moderate level rather than vigorous exercise.”

The study team grouped participants based on the number of behaviors they engaged in, and those who engaged in three to five behaviors were grouped together to increase the sample size for analysis. The majority of this group was younger and female, had a lower body mass index (BMI) and were less likely to have a family history of IBS, the researchers said.

“Research into developing a primary prevention strategy for IBS is VERY important, as many people suffer from IBS and the majority are women,” he said. Dr. Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, professor of physiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, in an email. “Evidence from this large cohort suggests that lifestyle choices play a key role in the development of IBS.”

The study did not include stress reduction as part of the lifestyle behaviors observed. Greenwood-Van Meerveld, who has studied the role that stress plays on the disorder, said the omission is surprising, since stress has been studied as a factor that plays an important role in IBS. Additionally, the age group limitation is concerning, she said, as IBS often develops in early adulthood, but the current study enrolled participants with an average age of 55.

“The measures are limited, but because the sample size is so large, they provide valuable information about what might reduce the likelihood of IBS as middle-aged and older adults age,” he said. Dr. Margarita Heitkemperprofessor in the department of biobehavioral nursing and health informatics at the University of Washington and associate professor in the division of gastroenterology, in an email.

“As the authors point out, IBS is a heterogeneous condition and several additional factors could be at play.” Heitkemper was not involved in the study.

Maintain good sleep hygiene and intestinal health.

More studies are needed on the effect sleep quality has on preventing IBS, as the researchers stated, since a sleep lab would provide more concrete evidence than self-reported sleep in a home environment, said Heitkemper, who has studied the sleep in women with IBS.

The study found that maintaining healthy lifestyle factors is important, Heitkemper said. And following sleep hygiene principles, such as not using electronic devices at bedtime and avoiding caffeine at night, will help people who struggle to sleep better, she added.

“Gut health should never be taken for granted and should be protected,” said Greenwood-Van Meerveld. “My advice is to eat healthy and reduce stress levels through daily stress-reducing tools like meditation.”

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