Healthy lifestyle in early childhood linked to lower risk for IBD
A healthy lifestyle in early childhood is associated with a reduced risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Journal of Crohn's and Colitis.
A study published in the Journal of Crohn's and Colitis on August 24 reveals that a healthy lifestyle during early childhood may lower the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, led by Annie Guo, analyzed data from two Scandinavian birth cohorts (1997-2009) comprising 117,487 participants.
The investigation focused on smoking exposure, delivery method, breastfeeding, diet quality, antibiotic use, physical activity, and body mass index. The findings indicated that by the age of 20, 0.6% of participants had been diagnosed with IBD (732 individuals). Children who scored high on Modifiable Health-related Lifestyle Score (MHLS) by age 1 had a lower risk of IBD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.77) and Crohn disease (aHR, 0.57) later in life.
High adherence to a healthy lifestyle by age 3 also showed a reduced risk of IBD (aHR, 0.77) and Crohn disease (aHR, 0.68). No link was found between early lifestyle choices and ulcerative colitis. The authors concluded that early adoption of a healthy lifestyle may help prevent IBD, particularly Crohn's disease.
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