Disease areas:
  • gut health
Last updated:
Author(s):
Lei Yuan, Zixin Lan, Juanfang Zhu, Yan Chen, Yang Zhao, Nan Wang, Huimin Zheng, Zhengwei Wan, Lijuan Liu, Jinhai Sun, Emad M. El-Omar, Zhe Zhao, Pan Li
Publish date:
21 November 2025
Journal:
BMC Medicine
PubMed ID:
41272711

Abstract

BackgroundHealthy lifestyle modification is widely recommended for preventing digestive system diseases, but the effects of individual and combined behaviors, particularly potential interactions, are not fully understood.MethodsThis study investigates the association between six healthy lifestyle behaviors (moderate alcohol consumption, never smoking, adequate sleep, regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and limited sedentary behavior) and the risk of 20 digestive system diseases, participants were grouped into high, moderate, and low adherence. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the associations between these behaviors and disease risk.ResultsAmong 267,408 participants, 53,690 (20.08%) were classified as high adherence group, 158,023 (59.09%) as moderate adherence group, and 55,695 (20.83%) as low adherence group. Compared with the low adherence group, the high adherence group had a hazard ratio of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.70 to 0.74) and the moderate adherence group 0.82 (95% CI: 0.80 to 0.84). Each behavior independently reduced risk, indicating there were only additive effects but no synergistic or antagonistic interactions.ConclusionsGreater adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors is associated with a reduced risk of digestive system diseases. The absence of interactions among behaviors simplifies implementation, allowing individuals to focus on adopting as many behaviors as possible to maximize benefits.

Related projects

Common diseases including severe or acute diseases, chronic diseases, and cancers, which remain high all over the world, increase the family economic burden, consume public…

Institution:
Naval Medical University, China

All projects