Noting that poor intestinal health is closely linked to many serious diseases such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and colorectal cancer, the Taiwan Society for Lactic Acid Bacteria yesterday alerted parents to the importance of their children's diet and toileting.
The society recently conducted a survey of 1,639 elementary, junior high and senior high school students around Taipei. They found that many students have intestinal difficulties, including constipation.
The data showed that 5 percent of elementary students only have one bowel movement a week -- a rate that points to severe constipation. The results also showed that many students have a poorly balanced diet, resulting from irregular meals and a preference for meat and drinks with added sugar.
It was found that more beneficial drinks such as those that contain lactic acid bacteria and fermented yeast -- which are beneficial to the intestinal health -- were not popular among children.
"When it comes to living habits, up to 50 percent of high-school students feel dispirited and languid, which is consistent with the phenomenon of a bad intestinal condition, and we parents should never take this lightly," society president Tsai Ying-chieh (蔡英傑) said.
"The intestine is the most important organ for immunity and up to 70 percent of lymph nodes exist in the gastrointestinal tract. It's a good time for self-examination when we go to the toilet: We should not neglect any abnormal signs in feces," said Professor Chen Jyun-jhong (陳俊忠) from National Yang Ming University.
"To keep your intestines healthy, an appropriate diet, exercise and good life habits are a must. We can also drink more acidophilus milk or eat more yogurt to increase the amount of lactic acid bacteria in our bodies," Chen said.
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