“With this study, as the syndrome is, of a certain level, hereditary, we may know some high-risk patients or those who have other functional gastrointestinal disorders, and we are able to tell them that this study has clearly shown the benefits that can be brought by lifestyle management,” he said.
“Other than medication or other treatments, lifestyle changes have a certain degree of importance.”
Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that currently affects about 16.6 per cent of Hong Kong adults on a monthly basis, as well as 4 per cent on a weekly basis.
Wu said common cases involved stomach pains or diarrhoea after eating, as well as feelings of nervousness, continuous bloating and constipation, and sudden and severe stomachaches that required visits to a hospital emergency room.
Irritable bowel syndrome: a nutritionist who battled IBS on how to manage it
Irritable bowel syndrome: a nutritionist who battled IBS on how to manage it
The university’s study analysed the health data of 64,268 adults living in Britain with a mean age of 55.9, with the information collected by the UK Biobank for an average span of 12.6 years.
None of the participants were diagnosed with the condition during their first interviews, but about 961 of the group, or 1.5 per cent, were found to suffer from it by the end of the data collection process.
According to the CUHK’s research, adults in the group who kept up one or two healthy habits were respectively 21 per cent or 36 per cent less likely to suffer from the condition those than who adopted none of the lifestyle choices.
Among those who maintained three to five of the healthy lifestyle choices, the risk went down by 42 per cent.
The study also found that quality sleep reduced the risk by 27 per cent, high-intensity exercise by 17 per cent and abstaining from smoking by 14 per cent.
University researchers said they chose to use UK data because Hong Kong lacked a large biobank that could offer comprehensive information on lifestyle choices, adding the condition’s prevalence was largely unaffected by racial differences.
Wu said the condition was related to abnormal communication and coordination between the gut and brain, causing dysfunctional bowel movements, and reactions to organs from pain, and emotions, among other things.
It could also arise from genetic or dietary factors, he added.
The scholar said the study showed sleep, exercise and smoking played a crucial role in preventing the syndrome, which could be more significant than the direct impact on the gut from diet and alcohol intake.
“The control room of the gut in fact resides in the brain. Sleeping is basically the time for the control room to recharge. If you sleep poorly or frequently wake up in the middle of the night, it means the charger keeps detaching,” he said.
“There are also other factors such as stress and anxiety which also directly affect gastrointestinal functions, thus an adequate amount of exercise can also alleviate stress and strengthen the gut immune system.”
But Wu added that the five habits would not be enough to reverse the condition among existing patients, who might need to seek out Western or traditional Chinese treatments.
Liver cancer treatment is world’s first, Hong Kong researchers claim
Liver cancer treatment is world’s first, Hong Kong researchers claim
Vincent Chung Chi-ho, a researcher and associate professor at CUHK’s Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, said the study’s findings could also be explained through the traditional Chinese medicinal theories.
The traditional Chinese medicine practitioner said the liver was in charge of the chi – the body’s vital energy – that flowed through the gut.
“When the chi is not flowing smoothly through the liver, it may lead to stomachache, constipation or diarrhoea, which is similar to the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome,” he said.
“Quality sleep benefits the liver. When you are unable to vent your emotions, it may lead to the stagnation of chi in the liver.”
Fellow practitioner and researcher Ho Fai-fai said the study proved the importance of preventive treatment, which is a major theory in the practice.
“According to ancient scriptures, methods include dietary adjustments, and a controlled lifestyle with a regular rest schedule, work-life balance, mental healthcare to regulate the yin and yang in our organs,” she said.
Ho added that according to traditional Chinese medicine, irritable bowel syndrome could be treated using acupuncture, herbal medicines and acupoint massage.
