A large study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham has found that middle-aged and older adults who follow Mediterranean or plant-based diets may be less likely to develop chronic constipation, a condition that affects millions and tends to worsen with age.
“Chronic constipation affects millions of people and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life,” said Dr. Kyle Staller, senior author and gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits.”
Published in Gastroenterology, the study followed more than 96,000 adults over several years, drawing from the Nurses’ Health Studies and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Researchers looked at five dietary patterns: Mediterranean, plant-based, low-carb, Western and inflammatory. Those following Western or inflammatory diets were more likely to develop constipation, while people on Mediterranean or plant-based diets had a lower risk.
Interestingly, fiber didn’t fully explain the results.
“We have always assumed that the benefits of eating a healthy diet would be driven by fiber, but our analyses showed the benefit of these healthy diets on constipation were independent of fiber intake,” Staller said.
Constipation was defined as having symptoms for at least 12 weeks within a year. Low-carb diets showed no strong effect either way.
“Our findings suggest a diet rich in vegetables, nuts and healthy fats may help prevent chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults,” Staller said.
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.