Posted on 02/26/2024 12:59:32 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Adopting a healthy lifestyle is strongly linked to a lower risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), finds new research.
Previously research has linked lifestyle factors with a heightened risk of IBS, and the researchers wanted to find out if a combination of these factors might ward off the condition.
They looked at the big five healthy behaviors—never smoking; at least seven hours of sleep every night; a high level of vigorous physical activity every week; a high-quality balanced diet every day; and moderate alcohol intake—among middle-aged participants (average age 55) of the U.K. Biobank.
The final analysis included 64,286 people, just over half of whom (55%) were women, and who had completed at least two 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires.
During an average monitoring period of just over 12.5 years, 961 (1.5%) cases of IBS were recorded.
Of the total sample, 7,604 (12%) said they didn't do any of the five healthy lifestyle behaviors, while 20,662 (32%) reported one; 21,901 (34%) reported two; and 14,101 (22%) reported three to five behaviors at the start of the monitoring period.
After accounting for potentially influential factors, the higher the number of healthy behaviors, the lower the risk of IBS.
One behavior was associated with a 21% lower risk, while two were associated with a 36% lower risk; and three to five were associated with a 42% lower risk.
Although of a smaller size than when combined, three healthy behaviors were independently associated with a lower risk of IBS: never smoking (14% lower); high level of physical activity (17% lower); and a good night's sleep (27% lower).
Further in-depth analysis showed that these associations were independent of age, sex, employment status, residential area, gut infection, family history of IBS or other lifestyle choices.
This is an observational study, and as such, can't establish cause.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
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