These Diets May Help Prevent Chronic Constipation: Study Shows

A new study published in Gastroenterology by researchers at Mass General Brigham reveals that middle- and older-age adults who follow a Mediterranean diet or a plant-based diet are significantly less likely to develop chronic constipation. The large-scale study, which followed over 96,000 adults for several years, is among the first to demonstrate that specific dietary patterns can help prevent the onset of this common gastrointestinal condition.

Chronic constipation becomes increasingly prevalent with age and can severely affect quality of life.

“Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits,” said Dr. Kyle Staller, senior author of the study and a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The researchers used long-term data from the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to investigate how five popular diets influence the risk of developing chronic constipation. These included the Mediterranean diet, plant-based diet, low-carb diet, Western diet, and inflammatory diet. Participants’ symptoms were tracked, with chronic constipation defined as symptoms lasting at least 12 weeks in a year.

While it has long been believed that dietary fiber plays a central role in alleviating constipation, this study found that the protective effects of the Mediterranean and plant-based diets occurred independently of fiber intake.

Conversely, those adhering to Western and inflammatory diets were more likely to develop constipation. Low-carb diets did not appear to have a significant effect. “Our findings suggest a diet rich in vegetables, nuts and healthy fats may help prevent chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults,” added Staller.

These findings could pave the way for dietary recommendations aimed not only at treating but also preventing gastrointestinal issues as people age, providing a valuable tool for improving long-term digestive health.

Reference: Dietary Patterns and Incident Chronic Constipation in Three Prospective Cohorts of Middle- and Older-aged Adults, Wang, Yiqing et al. Gastroenterology, Volume 0, Issue 0.