Are Chronic Digestive Complaints the Result of Abnormal Dietary Patterns?: Diet and Digestive Complaints in Children at 22 and 40 Months of Age

We studied 149 healthy children at 22 months of age and 74 at 40 months of age, employing a 24-hour dietary record based on premailed food measurement guide and telephone questionnaire. Parents cooperated in 94% of contacts. Chronic digestive complaints decreased from 27% to 5% of the sample over the study period: constipation from 16% to 3%, chronic diarrhea from 8% to 1%, and abdominal pain from 5% to 1%. Excessive fluid intake (1470 +/- 600 …