[An epidemiologic study on functional constipation among adult communities in Shanghai].

Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of functional constipation (FC) by using Rome III criteria in the local adult communities.

Methods: A stratified randomized and community-based study by multi-stage cluster sampling was employed. A household survey was conducted from April to May 2010. All of the participants were interviewed face-to-face by filling out the self-administered questionnaires which based on Rome III criteria for the diagnosis of FC. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS) and Athens insomnia scale (AIS) were carried out to evaluate the psychological characteristics and qualities of sleep.

Results: A total of 7648 subjects fulfilled the questionnaires, with the response rate as 90.0%. 211 patients met the Rome III criteria, including 90 males and 121 females. The adjusted prevalence rates of FC were 2.5% in males, 3.3% in females and with an overall rate as 2.9%. The ratio of men to women was 1:1.32, with significant difference between males and females (P=0.043). The most common group was in the 18-29 year-olds (χ2=37.359, P=0.000). FC patients were more likely to be detected in the group with normal BMI (χ2=16.087, P=0.002), having received high education (χ2=27.604, P=0.000), being intelectuals (χ2=6.922, P=0.031) and divorced (χ2=22.000, P=0.000) than in other groups. Multivariate analysis showed that excessive intake of high-fat food was significantly associated with the presence of FC (odds ratio as 1.253, P=0.000), whereas foods with high-fiber (odds ratio as 0.854, P=0.029) might serve as protective factors. Significant differences between FC groups and control groups were found in the incidence of anxiety (with odds ratio as 2.583, P=0.000) and insomnia (odds ratio as 2.443, P=0.000).

Conclusion: The prevalence of FC in adult communities in Shanghai Songjiang district was not higher than that in other parts of the communities. Excessive intake of high-fat food, anxiety and insomnia might be risk factors for FC and foods with high-fiber contents might serve as protective factors.