A study suggests that practicing three healthy behaviors can decrease the risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by 42%. IBS symptoms can persist for various durations and is estimated to affect up to 10% of the global population, influenced by factors such as oversensitive gut nerves, stress, and genetics.

The research, featured in the journal Gut, shows a strong correlation between a healthy lifestyle and a reduced likelihood of developing IBS. The study evaluated 64,286 individuals from the UK Biobank, finding 961 IBS cases over 12.5 years, and noted that the combination of certain healthy behaviors notably reduced IBS risk.

While individual behaviors like not smoking, vigorous exercise, and sufficient sleep were beneficial, combining these factors led to the most significant decrease in IBS occurrence; however, the study's observational nature limits establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship.