D4 Zano/Balajadia additional response to Diet on UTI


Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection1–3

Tero Kontiokari, Jaana Laitinen, Leea Järvi, Tytti Pokka, Kaj Sundqvist, and Matti Uhari

Because urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacteria in the stool, dietary factors may affect the risk of contracting a UTI by altering the properties of the fecal bacterial flora.We studied dietary and other risk factors for UTI in fertile women in a case-control setting.

One hundred thirty-nine women from a health center for university students or from the staff of a university hospital (mean age: 30.5 y) with a diagnosis of an acute UTI were compared with 185 age matched women with no episodes of UTIs during the past 5 y. Data on the women’s dietary and other lifestyle habits were collected by questionnaire. A risk profile for UTI expressed in the form of adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs was modeled in logistic regression analysis for 107 case-control pairs with all relevant information.

Frequent consumption of fresh juices, especially berry juices, and fermented milk products containing probiotic bacteria was associated with a decreased risk of recurrence of UTI: the OR for UTI was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.92) per 2 dL juice. A preference for berry juice over other juices gave an OR of 0.28 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.56). Consumption of fermented milk products ≥ 3 times/wk gave an OR of 0.21 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.66) relative to consumption < 1 time/wk. Intercourse frequency was associated with an increased risk of UTI (OR for ≥ 3 times/wk compared with < 1 time/wk: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.16, 6.2).


The Dietary changes can affect the recurrence of Urinary tract infection by altering the bodies’ bacterial flora. The frequently consumption of fresh juices, specifically berry juices and other dairy products containing probiotic bacteria have shown to be an effective measure to prevent Urinary Tract Infection.




Tero Kontiokari, Jaana Laitinen, Leea Järvi, Tytti Pokka, Kaj Sundqvist, and Matti Uhari. Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection1–3. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;77:600–4. Printed in USA. © 2003 American Society for Clinical Nutrition.