Physical activity and prevalence of constipation in Japanese young people

BackgroundConstipation is a very common medical issue among general humans worldwide. The association between physical activity (PA) and constipation is still inconsistent. Additionally, no evidence regarding this issue in young population. AimsThis study aimed to evaluate the association between self-reported physical activity and constipation in Japanese young population, taking the presence or absence of an exercise partner as an additional variable. MethodsThe study subjects consisted of 12497 Japanese university students. Information on constipation, exercise frequency, exercise intensity, and exercise partners was obtained from a self-administered questionnaire. Age, sex, body mass index, drinking, smoking, anemia, and sports injury were selected as potential confounding factors. ResultsThe prevalence of constipation was 6.5% in this cohort. Low, moderate, and high frequency of exercise was independently inversely associated with constipation (adjusted odds ratios [a OR] were low: a OR 0.77 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63-0.94], moderate: a OR 0.75 [95% CI 0.60-0.94] and high: a OR 0.70 [95% CI 0.53-0.91], p for trend p=0.002). Low, moderate, and high intensity of exercise was independently inversely associated with constipation (low: a OR 0.77 [95% CI 0.62-0.97], moderate: a OR 0.77 [95% CI 0.63-0.95] and high: a OR 0.70 [95% CI 0.53-0.87], p for trend p=0.001). Exercise with groups and with friends was independently inversely associated with constipation whereas the association between exercising alone and constipation was not significant (groups: a OR 0.70 [95% CI 0.53-0.90] and friends: a OR 0.56 [95% CI 0.42-0.74]) ConclusionIn the young Japanese population, frequency and intensity of exercise and presence of exercise partner might be independently inversely associated with constipation.