Source: Harvard Health Publishing
A study published online July 2, 2025, by Gastroenterology tracked the dietary patterns of nearly 96,000 middle-aged and older adults for several years to determine who was more likely to develop chronic constipation, defined as symptoms persisting for at least 12 weeks per year. The participants completed periodic dietary questionnaires, and based on their answers, were categorized into five eating patterns: a Mediterranean-style diet, a plant-based diet that excluded meat, a low-carb diet, a Western diet with a high intake of red and processed meats and refined grains, and a pro-inflammatory diet rich in ultra-processed foods linked to high blood inflammation markers.
