People with irritable bowel syndrome suffer from bloating and abdominal pain, which may cause chronic cramping, gas, diarrhea, or constipation.
But a recent study, published in The Journal Gut, found that adopting a healthy lifestyle may reduce the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as it showed a 42 percent reduction in the risk of developing a gastrointestinal disorder in middle-aged and elderly adults who exercised. Physically active, who get enough sleep, eat a good diet, drink moderate alcohol, and do not smoke.
The study evaluated data on 64,268 participants, aged 37 to 73 years, from the UK Biobank’s large-scale biomedical database who had no history of the disorder, based on diagnosis.
After 12 years, 961 cases (1.5%) of IBS were reported among the group, and people in the group of participants who did not maintain any of the healthy behaviors were at greater risk of developing the condition.
A research team in Hong Kong found that the more healthy lifestyle behaviors study participants followed, the greater the protection against irritable bowel syndrome.
It turned out that people who showed one behavior were 21 percent less likely to develop irritable bowel syndrome compared to those who did not follow any behavior.
As for people who followed two behaviors, their risk was reduced by 36 percent, and those who performed three to five recommended behavior patterns, their risk decreased by 42 percent.
“Lifestyle modifications have the potential to be an effective primary prevention strategy for IBS,” said study co-author, Vincent Chi Ho-chung, a professor at the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
He pointed out that many studies, including the recent study, have shown that a combination of healthy lifestyle behaviors may reduce the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome, after researchers defined it as follows:
1- Maintaining a high level of vigorous physical activity
2- Follow a high-quality, balanced diet daily
3- Consume a moderate amount of alcohol daily (5 to 15 grams)
4- Get between seven to nine hours of sleep at night
5- Never smoke.
Chung said that the study team found that getting a good amount of sleep every night was the most effective in reducing the risk of irritable bowel syndrome, over other health advice.
It has also been shown that individuals who have high sleep quality have a 27 percent lower risk of developing this disorder compared to those who do not. Engaging in more vigorous physical activity reduced the risk by 17 percent, while never smoking reduced the risk by 14 percent.
2024-02-24 11:36:00
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