Joyeta Ghosh¹, Poulomi Sanyal², Khusboo Singh²*, Sudrita Roy Choudhury² and Samarpita Koner²

¹Assistant Professor, Amity Institute of Applied Sciences, Amity University, Kolkata

*Corresponding Author: Khusboo Singh, Research Scholar, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, NSHM Knowledge Campus-Kolkata, West Bengal India.

Received: December 27, 2022; Published: February 07, 2023

Abstract

Constipation is one of the most prevalent digestive system problems and is characterised by an increase in bowel frequency, too few and infrequent movements, difficulty passing waste, and hard, strained faeces. Constipation can result from a variety of causes, including environmental, psychological, hereditary, and others. Approximately 40% of individuals globally experience digestive problems like diarrhoea, constipation, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with prevalence rates of 4.7%, 11.7%, and 4.1%, respectively, according to a large-scale multinational study based on online surveys. Additionally, gastrointestinal conditions like IBD, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis have been associated with bowel motion. Extreme bowel motions (constipation or frequency) could therefore be a sign of various diseases or gastrointestinal issues.

The present study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of constipation among college-going girls (18-25 years old) and the relationship between constipation and dietary practices. It is one observational and descriptive in nature, and was limited to college-going female students between the ages of 18 and 25 years who live at Kolkata, West Bengal. The data was collected through an online survey using a pre-tested standardized questionnaire using a random sampling technique and the sample size of 300 was achieved.

Among the respondents 19% were found to be suffering from constipation. There is a strong statistical correlation between constipation frequency, daily dietary pattern, and food habits. According to the study's findings, constipation is frequently caused by stress and an unhealthy lifestyle. Thus, in conclusion the college girls are experiencing constipation and the regular healthy eating habits, including foods high in fibre in the diet, and drinking adequate water can be effective treatments for the same.

Keywords: Constipation; Bowel Movements; Lifestyle; Defecation Difficulty; Eating Habits; Dietary Fibres

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Citation

Citation: Khusboo Singh., et al. “Prevalence of Constipation and its Relationship with Dietary Habits Among College Going Girls in the Age Group of 18-25 Years of Kolkata, West Bengal, India". Acta Scientific Gastrointestinal Disorders 6.3 (2023): 03-13.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 Khusboo Singh., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.