Dietary habits and Helicobacter pylori infection: is there an association?

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a group 1 carcinogen and the etiological agent of gastric diseases such as gastritis, ulcers, and gastric cancer. It infects approximately half of the world’s population. Risk factors associated with H. pylori infection include socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and diet. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the association between eating habits and H. pylori infection in patients from a reference hospital in Central Brazil. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study included 156 patients from 2019 to 2022. METHODS: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics and a validated food frequency questionnaire. The H. pylori infection status (positive versus negative) was determined using the histopathological method. After grams/day, foods were stratified into tertiles of consumption (low, medium, and high). Simple and multiple binary logistic regression models were used in the analysis of odds ratios (ORs) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with a 5% significance level. RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 44.2% (69/156 patients). Infected individuals had a mean age of 49.6 ± 14.6 years; 40.6% were men, 34.8% were aged 60 years or older, 42.0% were unmarried, 7.2% had higher education, 72.5% were non-white, and 30.4% were obese. In the H. pylori-positive group, 55.1% were alcohol drinkers and 42.0% were smokers. The results of multiple analyses showed that the chance of H. pylori infection was higher among male participants (OR = 2.25; CI = 1.09–4.68) and individuals with obesity (OR = 2.68; CI = 1.10–6.51). Participants with moderate consumption of refined grains (bread, cookies, cakes, breakfast cereal) (OR = 2.41; CI = 1.04–5.62) and fruits (OR = 2.53; CI = 1.08–5.94) were more likely to be infected. CONCLUSION: In this study, male sex, obesity, and the consumption of refined grains and fruits were positively associated with H. pylori infection. Further research is needed to investigate this association and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.