Physical activity and prevalence of constipation in Japanese young people

Background : Constipation 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. Aims : This 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. Methods : The 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 sport injury were selected as potential confounding factors. Results: The 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% confdence 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 signifcant (groups: a OR 0.70 [95% CI 0.53–0.90] and friends: a OR 0.56 [95% CI 0.42–0.74]) Conclusion: In the young Japanese population, frequency and intensity of exercise and presence of exercise partner might be independently inversely associated with constipation. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Not Applicable The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: This study was approved by the ethics committee of The Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine (approval no. 1610012). I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Not Applicable I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Not Applicable I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Not Applicable All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.