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  • Original Article
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Low-dietary fiber intake as a risk factor for recurrent abdominal pain in children

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 823–827 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate dietary fiber intake in children with recurrent abdominal pain.

Design:

Cross-sectional study with control group.

Setting:

Outpatients of the Pediatric Gastroenterology public health clinic of the Darcy Vargas Children's Hospital, Brazil.

Subjects:

Forty-one patients with recurrent abdominal pain were evaluated and 41 children, as a control group.

Interventions:

Macronutrients and fiber intake evaluation by the Daily Food Intake method. Two tables of fiber composition in foods were used.

Results:

According to the Brazilian table the mean intake of fiber (g/day) by the children of the recurrent abdominal pain groups with chronic constipation or not, and the control group was, respectively, 18.2, 16.6 and 23.7 for total fiber (P=0.001), 7.5, 6.9 and 9.5 for soluble fiber (P=0.001) and 10.7, 9.7 and 14.1 for insoluble fiber (P=0.002). According to the AOAC table, the recurrent abdominal pain group with chronic constipation or not (10.6 and 9.9 g/day) also had lower intake of total fiber than the control group (13.4 g/day) (P=0.008). The intake of fiber was lower than the minimum recommended value (age+5 g) and statistically associated (P=0.021) with the recurrent abdominal pain group (78%) in comparison with the control one (51.2%). The odds ratio was 3.39 (95% CI, 1.18–9.95).

Conclusion:

fiber intake below the minimum recommended value is a risk factor for recurrent abdominal pain in children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Federal University of Sao Paulo/Paulista School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    A Z Paulo, O M S Amancio & M B de Morais

  2. Darcy Vargas Children's Hospital, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    K M M D Tabacow

Authors
  1. A Z Paulo
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  2. O M S Amancio
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  3. M B de Morais
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  4. K M M D Tabacow
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to O M S Amancio.

Additional information

Guarantors: OMS Amancio and MB de Morais.

Contributors: AZP, OMSA and MBdeM helped in designing and writing up of the study.

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Paulo, A., Amancio, O., de Morais, M. et al. Low-dietary fiber intake as a risk factor for recurrent abdominal pain in children. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 823–827 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602386

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