Study finds exercise, sleep and not smoking all reduce IBS risk

By Isobel Williams via SWNS

Exercise, sleep, and not smoking all reduce the risk of irritable bowel syndrome, according to a new study.

The research shows that adopting five healthy habits can lower the risk of the debilitating condition, known as IBS, by over 40 percent.

Characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, and abnormal bowel habit, IBS is thought to affect up to one in 10 people worldwide.

Researchers at The Chinese University of Hong Kong set out to see if a combination of lifestyle factors could help to fight off the condition.

They specifically 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.

The analysis included 64,286 people, just over half of whom 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 cases of IBS were recorded.

The results, published in the journal Gut, showed that one behavior was associated with a 21 percent lower risk, while two were associated with a 36 percent lower risk; and three to five were associated with a 42 percent lower risk.

Although of a smaller size than when combined, three healthy behaviors were independently associated with a lower risk of IBS.

Never smoking made the risk 14 percent lower, high level of physical activity was 17 percent lower, and a good night’s sleep was 27 percent lower.

The results were independent of age, sex, employment status, residential area, gut infection, family history of IBS or other lifestyle choices.

Professor Vincent Chi-ho Chung said: “Although lifestyle modification is recommended as a means of managing IBS symptoms, its potential role in preventing the onset of the condition has not been given due attention.

“Our findings underscore the value of lifestyle modification in the primary prevention of IBS and suggest that healthy lifestyle choices could significantly attenuate the effects of aetiological factors on the incidence of IBS.”