A Nutrition Foundation of Taiwan survey released yesterday showed an association between constipation and height in young children, with the height differences more significant in older children.
The online poll was conducted among 1,210 parents with children aged between six and 12, with the aim of gauging the potential impacts of constipation on children’s growth and nutrient absorption.
“Nearly 30 percent of the respondents’ children suffered from constipation. The foundation estimates that there are approximately 420,000 young people experiencing infrequent bowel movements,” foundation chief executive officer Emily Wu (吳映蓉) said.
Wu said that on average, children suffered constipation were 3.05cm shorter than those who reported regular bowel movements.
Analysis suggests that the height difference is directly proportional to the age at which a child develops ongoing constipation, Wu said.
The 2.46cm height difference between children aged six years old further increased to 5.72cm among children aged 12 years old, according to the survey.
The survey also showed that 60 percent of the affected children were picky eaters, with nearly 90 percent not eating the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables.
In addition, about 70 percent of the affected children ate refined grains as their staple food, such as white rice, while 30 percent had less than one daily serve of dairy, the poll indicated.
Pediatrician Yeh Sheng-hsiung (葉勝雄) said if parents noticed their childrens’ excrement had an uneven surface and if the child spent more than 10 minutes on the toilet, those could be signs of constipation.
“The key to maintaining healthy bowel movements is a balanced diet,” Yeh said.
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