Gastroenteritis in middle-aged and elderly adults in rural China: associations with sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors

Background Gastroenteritis remains a common gastrointestinal disorder with health and socioeconomic impacts. However, data on its epidemiological characteristics in rural areas of China are limited. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with gastroenteritis among adults in a rural population in China. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the Early Diagnosis and Early Treatment Project of Esophageal Cancer (2011–2017). A total of 11,518 participants aged 35–75 years completed face-to-face questionnaires. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Results Of all participants, 2,849 were diagnosed with gastroenteritis. Increased risk was associated with female, increased BMI, annual income, fast eating, irregular diet, high blood pressure, salty diet, spicy diet, excessive smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, and consumption of fatty meats, corn, cornmeal, pickled foods, and fried foods. Higher intake of vegetables, fruits, and animal liver was linked to reduced risk. Conclusions Gastroenteritis in rural Huai'an is closely associated with tobacco use, unhealthy dietary habits, and environmental exposures. Public health interventions focusing on smoking cessation, dietary improvement, and environmental health promotion may provide support for its primary prevention in this population.