title: Some Risk Factors of Chronic Functional Constipation Identified in a Pediatric Population Sample from Romania.
abstract: We conducted an observational study over a 1-year period, including 234 children aged 4-18 years and their caregivers and a matching control group. 60.73% of the children from the study group were males. Average age for the onset of constipation was 26.39 months. The frequency of defecation was 1/4.59 days (1/1.13 days in the control group). 38.49% of the patients in the sample group had a positive family history of functional constipation. The majority of children with functional constipation come from single-parent families, are raised by relatives, or come from orphanages. Constipated subjects had their last meal of the day at later hours and consumed fast foods more frequently than the children in the control sample. We found a statistically significant difference between groups regarding obesity/overweight and constipation (χ2= 104.94, df = 2,p< 0.001) and regarding physical activity and constipation (χ2= 18.419; df = 3;p< 0.001). There was a positive correlation between the number of hours spent watching television/using the computer and the occurrence of the disease (F= 92.162,p< 0.001, and 95% Cl). Children from broken families, with positive family history, defective dietary habits, obesity and sedentary behavior, are at higher risk to develop chronic functional constipation.
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania; "Sf. Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olaru
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania; "Sf. Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Smaranda
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8018-7191
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diaconescu
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania; "Sf. Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trandafir
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania; "Sf. Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Nicoleta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gimiga
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania; "Sf. Spiridon" Emergency Hospital, Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1394-8648
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stefanescu
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania; "Sf. Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciubotariu
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania; "Sf. Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iași, Romania.
authors.forename: Marin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burlea