Doctors were left stunned when a woman in China was found to have nearly 100 gallstones in her gallbladder — an unusually high number that they linked to years of unhealthy eating habits.
Source: Jiangnan Metropolitan News
Her long-standing routine, which spanned over a decade, had finally taken a toll on her health.
The 40-year-old woman from Fujian sought medical help after experiencing ongoing stomach discomfort.
While gallstones often develop silently, they can cause severe abdominal pain if a stone blocks the bile duct.
Such episodes can last for up to five hours and may occur months apart, making the condition hard to detect early.
However, when the woman underwent examination, doctors were alarmed to find her gallbladder filled with 95 gallstones — a rare and extreme case.
Source: Jiangnan Metropolitan News
They traced the cause to her long-term poor dietary habits.
For over a decade, she had worked night shifts and developed a routine of eating greasy late-night suppers, such as barbecued food with friends, before sleeping in until noon and skipping breakfast entirely.
Doctors explained that this pattern of bile stasis — where bile is produced but not released — greatly increases the risk of gallstone formation.
A 2019 study also supports this, noting that both high-fat diets and prolonged fasting are risk factors for gallstones.
Recent reports indicate that an increasing number of young people are developing gallstones, largely due to modern lifestyle habits.
As prevention is more effective than treatment, doctors advise against high-fat diets, sedentary behaviour, and especially skipping meals.
According to Phyathai Hospital, fasting for more than 14 hours can cause cholesterol to accumulate in the gallbladder.
Without food intake to stimulate the gallbladder to release bile, which helps dissolve cholesterol, this buildup can eventually lead to the formation of gallstones.
In addition, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) notes that gallstones are more common in women, individuals over the age of 40, and those who are overweight or obese.
To reduce the risk, experts recommend eating meals at regular intervals, maintaining a balanced and low-fat diet, and engaging in regular physical activity.
Also read: Taiwan Woman Drinks Sweetened Beverages Instead Of Water, Doctors Find 300 Stones In Her Kidney
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Featured image adapted from Jiangnan Metropolitan News.