Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IBS among the Al-Baha population, examine the co-occurrence of CFS in these patients, and explore poor lifestyle as a potential risk factor in this context.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was used, including 407 individuals who answered a structured questionnaire built on Rome IV 2016 criteria for IBS and CDC 1994 criteria for CFS.
Results: The IBS was prevalent in 7.1%, while CFS was diagnosed in 0.7% of participants. There was a significant association between IBS and body mass index (BMI) (p-value=0.026), with the highest prevalence amongst the underweight individuals (34.5%). CFS was significantly associated with smoking (p-value=0.049). For both conditions, poor sleep quality and lower physical activity levels were individually associated with disease, but no statistical significance existed for trends of association. Minimal overlap occurred between IBS and CFS; only one participant was diagnosed with both.
Conclusion: This study draws attention to the roles of modifiable lifestyle factors such as BMI and smoking in IBS and CFS and emphasized on the need for gender-sensitive, condition-specific clinical strategies. Longitudinal designs are needed to explore causality, underlying mechanisms, and to improve strategies for management in the future.

Key words: Irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, Saudi Arabia