Doctors agree: more Indonesians are constipated

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 05/25/2011

Unhealthy lifestyle changes are making more Indonesians constipated – and leading more gastrointestinal problems for young people, according to physicians at a conference.

“Recently, the younger generation [including] people in their 20s and 30s already show signs of constipation,” Dr. Herry Djagat Purnomo told listeners at a dialog on constipation on Wednesday in Jakarta.

“Constipation used to only affect those in their 40s or older, since people's digestive systems deteriorate as they grow older,” Herry, who heads the Indonesian Gasteroenterologists Association, added.

According to Health Ministry data, more than 75 percent of Indonesians surveyed regularly ate food containing additives and 93.6 percent said they currently ate fewer vegetables and fruits than they did five years ago.

"People who consume limited amount of vegetables have a higher risk of constipation," Herry said.

The combination of constipation and limited physical exercise increased a person’s risk of more serious medical conditions, such as heat attacks or colon cancer, he added.

Dr. Ari Fahrial Syam, a gastroenterologist at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Jakarta said that 8 percent of colon cancer patients were first stricken by constipation .
"Constipation is not a simple and harmless disease," Ari said.

Women, especially younger women working in cities who lacked time for exercise, were at greater risk for constipation, he said. (lfr)