A large, long-term study of more than 96,000 adults reveals that the way we eat as we age can play a major role in whether we develop chronic constipation.
Researchers found that Mediterranean and plant-based diets were linked to a noticeably lower risk, even though the benefits were not tied to fiber as many people assume.
Diet and Aging: Understanding Constipation Risk
Chronic constipation becomes more common as people get older. Researchers at Mass General Brigham carried out a new investigation comparing five frequently followed diets to see how well they protect middle- and older-age adults from developing chronic constipation. Their work involved more than 96,000 adults who were monitored for several years to evaluate how long-term eating habits influence the likelihood of this persistent gastrointestinal condition.
The analysis showed that individuals who routinely ate a Mediterranean or plant-based diet had a lower risk of constipation. The findings were reported in Gastroenterology.
“Chronic constipation affects millions of people and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life,” said senior author Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, of the Division of Gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. “Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits.”
Beyond Symptom Relief: How Diet May Prevent Constipation
Healthy diets are known to ease constipation symptoms, but this study provides the first evidence that some eating patterns may help keep chronic constipation from starting in the first place. “We have always assumed that the benefits of eating a healthy diet would be driven by fiber, but our analyses showed the benefit of these healthy diets on constipation were independent of fiber intake,” said Staller.
The researchers used data from the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to evaluate dietary habits among middle- and older-age adults. They identified which participants developed chronic constipation, defined as symptoms lasting at least 12 weeks within a year. The five diets assessed were the Mediterranean diet, plant-based diet, low-carb diet, Western diet, and inflammatory diet. Adults who regularly consumed a Western or inflammatory diet were more likely to experience chronic constipation, while those following a low-carb diet did not show a strong effect.
Key Dietary Patterns Linked to Gut Health
“Our findings suggest a diet rich in vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats may help prevent chronic constipation in middle- and older-age adults,” said Staller.
Reference: “Dietary Patterns and Incident Chronic Constipation in Three Prospective Cohorts of Middle- and Older-Aged Adults” by Yiqing Wang, Braden Kuo, Madeline Berschback, Curtis Huttenhower, Andrew T. Chan and Kyle Staller, 3 July 2025, Gastroenterology.
DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.06.020
In addition to Staller, Mass General Brigham authors include Braden Kuo, Madeline Berschback and Andrew T. Chan.
Andrew T. Chan served as a consultant for Pfizer Inc., and Boehringer Ingelheim. Kyle Staller has received research funding from Ardelyx and ReStalsis and has served as a consultant to Ardelyx, Gemelli Biotech, Laborie, Mahana, ReStalsis, Salix, and Takeda. Braden Kuo has been a consultant to Ironwood, Takeda, Atmo, Restalsis, Pahthom. No other disclosures were reported.
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (U01 CA167552, UM1 CA186107, P01 CA87969, U01 CA176726, K23DK120945).
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