Study finds Mediterranean or plant-based diets may help reduce risk of chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults
The incidence of chronic constipation increases as we age. A new study from Mass General Brigham researchers compares five common diets to determine the effectiveness of preventing chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults. The team studied over 96,000 adults for several years to understand how different eating habits affect the risk of developing the chronic gastrointestinal condition. They found people who followed a Mediterranean or plant-based diet were less likely to develop constipation. Their results are published in Gastroenterology.
“Chronic constipation affects millions of people and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life,” said senior author Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, of the Division of Gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. “Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits.”
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