Constipation in Taiwan elementary school students: A nationwide survey

Background: To evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of childhood constipation in Taiwan. Methods: Healthy children between 7 and 12 years of age were interviewed to determine the prevalence of constipation and associated demographic and dietary factors. A nationwide sample of 2,375 children was selected with complex multistaged sampling throughout Taiwan. Results: In total, 2,375 individuals (1,282 boys and 1,093 girls, mean age=9.3±2.2 years) were interviewed, with a response rate of 95.1%. The prevalence of constipation was 32.2%, and girls were more likely to have constipation than boys (36.1% vs. 29.2%, p=0.0012) in this study. The prevalence of constipation was inversely related to age (24.4% for children aged 11 and 12, 34.0% for children aged 9 and 10, and 39.6% for children aged 7 and 8, p<0.001). Constipated children were more likely to report irregular bowl movements (37.2% vs. 29.3%, p=0.003), and constipated children had a significantly lower body mass index (17.5kg/m² vs. 18.3kg/m², p<0.001). The dietary intake for children with constipation was associated with lower intake of vegetables (4.2 servings/week vs. 5.8 servings/week, p<0.05), fruits (5.6 servings/week vs. 7.0 servings/week, p<0.05), soybean products (2.2 servings/week vs. 2.9 serving/week, p<0.05), and eggs (3.9 servings/week vs. 4.6 servings/week, p<0.05). Conclusion: Constipation is common in Taiwanese school-aged children, especially in girls. Less frequent consumption of vegetables, fruits, soybean products, and eggs is associated with childhood constipation. Establishing a regular bowel habit is encouraged to decrease the risk of constipation, and allowing the children a relaxed and sufficient time to defecate after school is essential.