RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Constipation is rare in sub-Saharan Africa, due to the high intake of dietary fiber. The purpose of this work was to describe the different clinical features of functional constipation in the general population in Cotonou and to determine the impact of diet on its occurrence. METHODS: This study was conducted from July to August 2017. Subjects were considered affected by functional constipation when criteria for Rome IV or Bristol stool scale were completed. RESULTS: In total, 1058 participants were enrolled: (574 men, sex-ratio 1.2; average age 29 years). The prevalence of functional constipation was 24.2% (Rome IV) and 20.4% (Bristol stool scale). Clinical manifestations were dominated by the emission of hard or fragmented stools (90.6%), pushing efforts during defecation (78.9%), and feeling of incomplete evacuation (76.2%). Dietary habits among people affected by constipation were: at breakfast, maize meal + donut/peanuts (39.1%), lunch, corn dough (38.7%), at dinner, corn dough (57.4%), and as a snack banana (35.5%). There was no statistically significant relationship between constipation and morning meal (p=0.09), lunch meal (p=0.901), snack (p=0.09) or dinner (p=0.75) respectively. CONCLUSION: The emission of hard or fragmented stools was the most common clinical manifestation among people affected by constipation living in Cotonou. Dietary habits do not influence the occurrence of functional constipation in our case series.
