The relationship between nutrition and defecation in healthy children

Application due to the defecation characteristics of infants and children is common in pediatric outpatient departments. Therefore, it is necessary to know the normal and abnormal age specific defecation characteristics. Most of the studies on this subject are carried in developed countries and there are only a limited number of studies from the developing countries. The aim of this study was to examine the defecation frequency and consistency and its relation with nutritional content in healthy children between 0-17 years of age. Accordingly, 197 healthy (97 male and 100 female) children, between the ages of 0 to 17 years, who were admitted to well-child or general pediatrics departments of Akdeniz University from June 2015 to December 2015 were included in the study. After obtaining informed consent from the parents, the three-day Food Consumption Form and Bristol Stool Form Scale, which is used to determine stool consistency, were given to the parents. Food consumption form questioned the variety and amount of all foods that children consumed in three-days. Number of bowel movements and consistency of stool at each defecation during the same period were also noted. To determine the three-days nutritional content (amounts of energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, fiber and micronutrients), all data obtained through the the food consumption form were entered to a nutritional information system (Bebis Program®) The average daily number of stools were 2,09 in children younger than 2 years of age; 1,66 between the ages of 3 to 5; 1,28 between 6 to 12 years of age; and 1,21 in the children between 13 to 17 years of age. In children younger than 2 years of age the frequency of defecation decreased as the protein, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and electrolyte contents of the nutrition increased. In the other age groups, there was no correlation between the number of bowel movements and nutritional content. It was observed that 80% of children between 3-5 years of age, 46% between 6-12 years of age, and 20% between 13-17 years of age consumed daily recommended amount of fiber. Loose or watery defecation (consistency 6 and consistency 7) was higher in children younger than 2 years of age compared to the other age groups. Soft and shaped defecation (consistency 3 and 4) which are accepted to be normal according to Bristol Stool Scale were observed mainly in children between 3 to 5 years of age.