A case-control study on the dietary taurine intake,nutrient status and life stress of functional constipation patients in Korean male college students

Background. constipation is a common gastrointestinal symptom in korea as well as in western countries. this study was performed to investigate the dietary taurine intake,nutrient status,and life stress of functional constipation (fc) patients in korean male college students. methods. research data were collected in 2008 and a total of 104 male students (52 with fc patients and 52 healthy controls without fc) were included. fc patients were defined by the codes for the rome modular questionnaire and healthy controls without fc were matched for age,height,weight and bmi. a self-administered life stress score and 3-day recall method were used to assess life stress level and dietary intake,respectively. results. the averages of age,height,weight,body fat percentage and body mass index (bmi) of male students were 23.4 years,174.1 cm,71.9 kg,19.0 % and 23.7 kg/m2,respectively. average intake of dietary taurine was 126.8 mg/day in fc patients and 105.1 mg/day in control group. the average intake of total calorie (p<0.05),plant protein (p<0.01),plant fat (p<0.001),carbohydrate (p<0.05),plant calcium (p<0.05) of fc patients were significantly higher compared to control group. the average total life stress score (p<0.01),economy problem score (p<0.05),future problem score (p<0.05) and value problem score (p<0.05) of fc patients were significantly higher compared to control group. conclusions. these results may suggest that fc patients show a higher life stress score and intake of some nutrient such as total calorie,plant protein,plant fat,carbohydrate and plant calcium in korean male college students. therefore,a further large-scale study is needed about correlation between life stress and nutrients intake including dietary taurine. © 2010 chang et al; licensee biomed central ltd.