Association between nutrient patterns and odds of irritable bowel syndrome in adults

Background Despite several strategies to manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), medical interventions have yet to be discovered. Observational studies identify the most effective nutrients in reducing IBS symptoms, however, individuals do not consume isolated nutrients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the association between nutrient patterns and IBS symptoms in Iranian adults. Methods In this cross-sectional study, dietary intakes of 3,362 Iranian adults were examined using a validated dish-based 106-item Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (DS-FFQ). Daily intakes of 41 nutrients for each participant were calculated using the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) national nutrient databank to identify nutrient patterns. Factor analysis, followed by a varimax rotation, was applied to derive major nutrient patterns. IBS was assessed using a modified Persian version of Rome III questionnaire. Results Based on factor analysis, three major nutrient patterns were identified: (1) The first pattern (NP1) was high in thiamin, folate, carbohydrates, iron, selenium, niacin, manganese, energy, calcium, riboflavin, dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, pantothenic acid, sodium, phosphorous, zinc, vitamin B6, protein, potassium, and sugar; (2) the second pattern (NP2) was high in manganese, energy, magnesium, pantothenic acid, sodium, phosphorous, cholesterol, MUFAs, vitamin E, PUFAs, SFAs, vitamin B12, CLA, Choline, zinc, phytosterols, vitamin B6, protein, vitamin D, trans fatty acids, vitamin A, potassium, and lycopene; (3) the third pattern (NP3) was high in dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, phytosterols, vitamin B6, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin K, Lutein/zeaxanthin, Beta-cryptoxanthin, vitamin A, potassium, sugar, and Lycopene. We found a significant inverse association between adherence to the NP3 and odds of IBS in the whole population (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.57–0.93). However, there was no significant association between adherence to the NP1 and NP2 and odds of IBS in the whole population. When we conducted analyses stratified by sex and BMI, we observed that greater adherence to the NP3 was associated with lower odds of IBS among females and subjects with BMI < 25 kg/m ² . Furthermore, those with greater adherence to the NP3 had lower odds of IBS-C and IBS-M. Conclusion We found a significant inverse association between adherence to the NP3 and odds of IBS.