PMID- 17854410
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20080527
LR  - 20220408
IS  - 1440-1754 (Electronic)
IS  - 1034-4810 (Linking)
VI  - 44
IP  - 4
DP  - 2008 Apr
TI  - Increased prevalence of constipation in pre-school children is attributable to 
      under-consumption of plant foods: A community-based study.
PG  - 170-5
AB  - AIM: To evaluate consumption of foods rich in dietary fibre and its relation to 
      the prevalence of constipation in pre-school children. METHODS: In total, 368 
      children aged 3-5 years were randomly selected from kindergartens in Hong Kong. 
      Constipation was confirmed by Rome-criteria. Children with normal bowel habits 
      served as non-constipated controls. Consumption of vegetables, fruits, 
      whole-grain cereals and fluid were determined using a 3-day food record. RESULTS: 
      A total of 28.8% children were reported to have constipation. Median dietary 
      fibre intake of constipated children was significantly lower than non-constipated 
      children (3.4 g/d (inter-quartile range (IQR): 2.3-4.6 g/d) vs. 3.8 g/d (IQR: 
      2.7-4.9 g/d); P = 0.044) corresponding to 40% reference dietary fibre intake. 
      Constipated children also had significantly lower intakes of vitamin C (P = 
      0.041), folate (P = 0.043) and magnesium (P = 0.002). Fruit intake and total 
      plant foods intake were significantly lower in the constipated than 
      non-constipated children: (61 g/d (IQR: 23.8-115 g/d) vs. 78 g/d (IQR: 41.7-144.6 
      g/d); P = 0.047) and (142.5 g/d (IQR: 73.7-214.7 g/d) vs. 161.1 g/d (IQR: 
      98.3-233.3 g/d); P = 0.034), respectively. Total fluid intake did not differ 
      between groups but milk intake among the constipated children was marginally 
      higher than the non-constipated children (P = 0.055) CONCLUSION: Insufficient 
      dietary fibre intake is common in Hong Kong pre-school children. Constipated 
      children had significantly lower intakes of dietary fibre and micronutrients 
      including vitamin C, folate and magnesium than non-constipated counterparts which 
      was attributable to under-consumption of plant foods. However, milk intake was 
      marginally higher in the constipated children. More public education is necessary 
      for parents to help develop healthy dietary habit and bowel habit in early life 
      in order to prevent childhood constipation.
FAU - Lee, Warren T K
AU  - Lee WT
AD  - Division of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, 
      University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK. w.t.lee@surrey.ac.uk
FAU - Ip, Kin S
AU  - Ip KS
FAU - Chan, June S H
AU  - Chan JS
FAU - Lui, Noel W M
AU  - Lui NW
FAU - Young, Betty W Y
AU  - Young BW
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20070914
PL  - Australia
TA  - J Paediatr Child Health
JT  - Journal of paediatrics and child health
JID - 9005421
RN  - 0 (Dietary Fiber)
RN  - 0 (Micronutrients)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Ascorbic Acid Deficiency/epidemiology
MH  - Beverages
MH  - Body Mass Index
MH  - Case-Control Studies
MH  - Child, Preschool
MH  - Constipation/*epidemiology/*etiology
MH  - Dietary Fiber/*administration & dosage/*deficiency/metabolism
MH  - Edible Grain
MH  - Folic Acid Deficiency/epidemiology
MH  - Fruit
MH  - Hong Kong/epidemiology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Magnesium Deficiency/epidemiology
MH  - Micronutrients/administration & dosage/deficiency
MH  - Milk
MH  - Prevalence
MH  - Vegetables
EDAT- 2007/09/15 09:00
MHDA- 2008/05/28 09:00
CRDT- 2007/09/15 09:00
PHST- 2007/09/15 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/05/28 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2007/09/15 09:00 [entrez]
AID - JPC1212 [pii]
AID - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2007.01212.x [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Paediatr Child Health. 2008 Apr;44(4):170-5. doi: 
      10.1111/j.1440-1754.2007.01212.x. Epub 2007 Sep 14.