Xinhua: Fatty Diet Leads to the Formation of 248 Gallstones in Man

Surgeons removed 248 gallstones from the gallbladder of a 26-year-old patient from China’s Sichuan province during a single operation. The man’s gallbladder had become filled with stones, while his blood lipid levels were five times above the normal range, reportedly due in part to a diet high in fatty foods. The case was reported by the Xinhua News Agency.

The man went to the hospital after a sudden attack of severe abdominal pain. An examination revealed a large number of stones in his gallbladder.

“The patient’s lifestyle may have contributed to the formation of the stones. Because of his demanding work schedule, the man often ate prepared food and regularly consumed fatty dishes, including fried chicken and barbecue,” said He Minggang, deputy head of the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery at a specialized gallstone treatment hospital in Chengdu.

The doctor explained that under certain conditions, the concentration of cholesterol in bile can increase. The cholesterol can crystallize and gradually form stones. At the same time, their formation is influenced by several factors, including diet, body weight, metabolic characteristics, physical activity, and eating patterns.

According to He Minggang, gallstone disease has increasingly been diagnosed in young people in recent years. The doctor lists irregular eating habits, frequent consumption of fatty and sugary foods, lack of physical activity, and excess weight among the risk factors. Prolonged bile stasis also plays an important role.

A typical symptom of gallstones is intermittent pain in the upper right part of the abdomen. It may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of heaviness, and sometimes the pain can radiate to the back or right shoulder. However, gallstones may remain asymptomatic for a long time and be discovered incidentally.

To reduce the likelihood of developing the disease, the doctor recommends avoiding long intervals between meals, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting more physical activity. At the same time, excessively rapid weight loss is also undesirable, as it is associated with an increased risk of gallstone formation.

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