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Dietary intake in relation to self-reported constipation among Japanese women aged 18–20 years

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 650–657 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Information on modifiable lifestyle factors associated with constipation is limited, especially among non-Western populations. We examined associations between dietary intake and self-reported constipation in young Japanese women.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Subjects:

A total of 1705 female Japanese dietetic students aged 18–20 years and free of current disease and current dietary counseling.

Methods:

Dietary intake was estimated over a 1-month period with a validated, self-administered, diet history questionnaire, and lifestyle variables including self-reported constipation were assessed by a second questionnaire designed for this survey.

Results:

A total of 436 women (26%) reported themselves to be ‘constipated’. A multivariate odds ratio (OR) for women in the highest quartile of rice intake was 0.47 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.33, 0.68) compared with the lowest. Additionally, women in the highest category of coffee intake had a multivariate OR of 0.67 (0.47, 0.94) compared with women in the lowest. Conversely, women in the highest quartile of confectionery intake had a multivariate OR of 1.54 (1.12, 2.13) compared with women in the lowest. Moreover, a multivariate OR for constipation for women in the highest quartile of Japanese and Chinese tea intake was 1.49 (1.09, 2.05) compared with women in the lowest. Neither total dietary fiber intake nor other lifestyle factors examined were associated with constipation.

Conclusions:

The consumption of rice and coffee was inversely associated with and that of confectioneries and Japanese and Chinese tea was positively associated with a prevalence of self-reported constipation.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Ms Yukari Takemi, RD, PhD and Ms Ayako Miura, RD for data collection regarding the validation of the question on constipation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan

    K Murakami

  2. National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan

    H Okubo & S Sasaki

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  1. K Murakami
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  2. H Okubo
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  3. S Sasaki
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Correspondence to S Sasaki.

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Guarantor: S Sasaki.

Contributors: KM conducted the statistical analysis and wrote the manuscript. HO conducted the database management and the statistical analysis. SS conducted the study design, data collection, and overall management. All authors made critical comments during the preparation of the manuscript.

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Murakami, K., Okubo, H. & Sasaki, S. Dietary intake in relation to self-reported constipation among Japanese women aged 18–20 years. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 650–657 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602365

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