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Epidemiology of constipation in children and adults: a systematic review

Suzanne M Mugie1, Marc A Benninga, Carlo Di Lorenzo

  • 1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States. suzanne.mugie@nationwidechildren.org

Best Practice & Research. Clinical Gastroenterology
|March 9, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Constipation affects 16% globally, with prevalence varying by region, age, and gender. This review highlights key epidemiological findings in pediatric and adult populations.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Constipation is a common gastrointestinal complaint with significant public health implications.
  • Understanding its epidemiology is crucial for targeted interventions and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review the published literature on the epidemiology of constipation.
  • To assess the global prevalence, geographic, gender, and age distribution of constipation.
  • To identify associated factors influencing constipation prevalence.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the Medline database.
  • Inclusion criteria focused on population-based studies of functional constipation in pediatric, adult, and elderly populations, published in English.
  • Sixty-eight studies met the selection criteria for analysis.

Main Results:

  • The global prevalence of constipation ranged widely from 0.7% to 79%, with a median of 16%.
  • In pediatric populations, prevalence rates varied between 0.7% and 29.6% (median 12%).
  • Female gender, increasing age, socioeconomic status, and educational level were identified as potential influencing factors.

Conclusions:

  • Constipation exhibits significant global epidemiological variation.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the complex interplay of factors contributing to constipation prevalence across different demographics.

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