Abstract
The relationship between lifestyle (diet, medicines and vitamins) and minor health complaints was investigated in a sample of 595 students. Factor analysis of the odds ratios of association between lifestyle and health complaints indicated two clusters of health complaints where lifestyle predictors were consistent within clusters but different between clusters. The first cluster was a mixture of psychological and somatic complaints, namely, accidents, anxiety, colds, depression, migraines, mouth ulcers, sleeping badly, tiredness and wheeze. Lifestyle features most associated with health complaints in the first cluster included sugar and sweets, chocolate, bread, canned drinks, and frequent antibiotic use, and least associated features were blue cheese, green vegetables, yoghurt, peas, beans and lentils. The second cluster consisted of somatic complaints, namely, constipation, dandruff, diarrhoea, heartburn and thrush. Lifestyle features most associated were tea, raw mushrooms, sugar and sweets, and dental fillings, and least associated were canned drinks, beer, oranges and bread. The data are interpreted as supporting a systems version of the dysfunctional gut syndrome as a cause of health problems.