Association between Dietary Intake of Live Microbes and Chronic Constipation in Adults

Chuanli Yang; Qin Hong; Teng Wu; Yunhe Fan; Xiaobing Shen; Xiushan Dong

doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.11.032

Association between Dietary Intake of Live Microbes and Chronic Constipation in Adults

J Nutr. 2024 Feb;154(2):526-534. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.11.032. Epub 2023 Dec 9.

Authors

Chuanli Yang¹, Qin Hong², Teng Wu³, Yunhe Fan³, Xiaobing Shen⁴, Xiushan Dong⁵

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Environmental Medical Engineering and Education Ministry, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Department of General Surgery, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
² Key Laboratory of Environmental Medical Engineering and Education Ministry, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
³ Department of General Surgery, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Environmental Medical Engineering and Education Ministry, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: xb.shen@seu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of General Surgery, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China. Electronic address: dongxiushan2012@163.com.

PMID: 38072155
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.11.032

Abstract

Background: Chronic constipation (CC) is a common gut health problem, and the role of live dietary microbes in CC is unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary live microbes consumption and CC.

Methods: Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (2005-2010), 11,170 adults who completed the 24-h face-to-face dietary recall and bowel health questionnaire were identified. CC was defined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale. Dietary live microbes intake was classified as low, medium, and high. Additionally, combined medium and high categories (MedHi) were analyzed. Multivariate regression models were constructed to assess the association between dietary intake of live microbes and CC.

Results: In the weighted sample, the age-adjusted CC prevalence was 7.06% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.45, 7.67). In multivariate regression models, after controlling for potential confounders race/ethnicity, sex, body mass index, education, poverty, depression, caffeine intake, and alcohol intake, a significant inverse association between dietary live microbes consumption and CC was observed (odds ratio [OR]: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.97, P-trend = 0.061).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a high dietary live microbes consumption may be associated with lower odds of CC. However, further prospective studies are essential to confirm its effectiveness in reducing CC occurrence.

Keywords: NHANES; chronic constipation; live microbe.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Constipation* / epidemiology
Diet*
Eating
Humans
Nutrition Surveys
Prospective Studies