LONDON, December 16 /PRNewswire/ --

LONDON, December 16 /PRNewswire/ --

- First Study of its Kind Shows That Consumption of Activia(R) Helps Reduce Abdominal Distension Among People With IBS

Distension of the tummy can be reduced by up to 78% in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) simply by eating probiotic yogurt, according to a UK study published today in Alimentary Pharmacology Therapeutics (http://www.apandt.org).

The research gives new hope for people with IBS (constipation predominant - IBS-C) who can experience distension of the tummy - the physical increase in waist measurement - by as much as 12cm over the course of a day.(1)

The results showed that daily consumption of yogurt (Activia(R)), containing the probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010, over a four week period, significantly reduced distension as well as improving gastrointestinal transit time, and reduced the overall IBS severity and associated discomfort such as abdominal pain.

The groundbreaking study carried out at the University Hospital of South Manchester, involved 34 adult women - all of whom suffered from IBS-C. Half of the women ate Activia each day, while the other half received a non-fermented dairy (control) product. All patients kept symptom diaries, for regular assessment of abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating and distension.

Commenting on the study, conducted in his Unit at Wythenshawe Hospital, Professor Whorwell said: Constipation, bloating and distension are common and distressing features of IBS with some sufferers being so bloated by the end of the day that they have to loosen clothing. Distension is associated with delayed gastrointestinal transit and one of the mechanisms by which Activia may be helping this problem is by the acceleration of transit which we confirmed in our study. Now healthcare professionals can advise that taking this probiotic yogurt may alleviate some of the symptoms experienced by IBS sufferers. A simple step to take without any risk of side effects.

Kirsten Hamilton, who has suffered from chronic IBS symptoms, was also impressed by the positive effects she felt after consuming the yogurt. She said: The pain, discomfort and bloating I suffered as a result of my IBS is now a thing of the past. I truly believe in the benefits of eating Activia every day and continue to do so. I'm no longer filled with dread when I pull my jeans on in the morning!

Trevor Datson, external communications director at Danone, commented: This study builds on previous trials that demonstrate the benefit of Activia on the management of IBS symptoms. It adds to the body of evidence that Activia can both help improve digestive comfort and improve gastrointestinal transit time.

He continued: It is important to remember that the findings of this study are specific to Activia, which contains the unique strain Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010, and can't be extrapolated to other probiotic products. Different probiotic products can have very different effects, so you should always look for one that has a scientifically proven effect.

Notes to Editor: - Distension is an increase in abdominal girth - Bloating is a sensation/feeling of abdominal swelling. You can also feel bloated without the occurrence of abdominal distension.

About Activia(R) - Activia is a yogurt that contains the unique culture Bifidus Actiregularis(TM) (Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010), which works alongside the good bacteria in your gut. Activia is scientifically proven to help improve slower digestive transit* - Activia helps keep your digestive system healthy by improving slower digestive transit when at least one pot is eaten everyday for 2 weeks as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle. Continuing to eat Activia will help to maintain that benefit - 82% of people with self-reported digestive discomfort said they felt better after having Activia for two weeks(2), and 87% reported feeling less bloated(3) - Activia is the fifth fastest growing brand in the UK(4) - Bifidus Actiregularis is the name of the natural probiotic culture in Activia that, when eaten in sufficient quantities has been scientifically proven to survive passage through the digestive system, arriving into the large intestine as a live culture - Bifidus Actiregularis is a unique probiotic strain of bifidobacteria that was specially selected by Danone for its benefits on digestive transit to be added to Activia. Activia is the only yogurt in the world that contains Bifidus Actiregularis - The scientific name of the Bifidus Actiregularis is Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010

About probiotics - Probiotics, such as those contained in Activia, are 'good' or 'friendly' bacteria that have proven health benefits - Probiotic yogurts, such as Activia, help to positively modulate the balance of good bacteria that naturally occur in the gut - Not all probiotic products are the same - the benefits of probiotics are strain specific - Activia contains more than 10 billion live probiotic bacteria per serving (125g) - The word probiotic derives from the Greek word pro-bios, meaning 'for life', which the World Health Organization defines as: live microrganisms, which when eaten in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host(5)

Further information about probiotics and Activia(R) can be found at http://www.factivia.co.uk

References: (1) L . Houghton et al. Relationship of Abdominal Bloating to Distention in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Effect of Bowel Habit . Gastroenterology , Volume 131 , Issue 4 , Pages 1003 - 1010 (2) Study where 292 consumers ate one or two pots of Activia everyday for 14 days. (3) As compared to 54% who reported feeling less bloated in the control group in the same study (4) Checkout/Nielsen Top 100 Grocery Brands 2008) (5) FAO/WHO 2002 * Activia is scientifically proven to help improve slower digestive transit when at least one pot is eaten every day for 14 days as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.

For further information please contact: Robyn Cabarrao or Karen Dennehy at Chandler Chicco Agency, Tel: +44(0)20-7632-1800, r.cabarrao@cca-uk.com, k.dennehy@cca-uk.com