Demographic characteristics, bowel movements and risk factors before the lockdown in ‘new-onset constipation’ and subjects without constipation
| ‘New-onset’ constipation n=170 | No constipation n=508 | P | OR (95% CI) | |
| Sex | ||||
| Women (n, %) | 132 (78%) | 273 (54%) | <0.0001* | 2.99 (2 to 4.4) |
| Men (n, %) | 38 (22%) | 235 (46%) | ||
| Age, years (mean, SD) | 31±12 | 31.4±12 | 0.72 | — |
| Body mass index (mean, SD) | 25.6±4.5 | 26.3±5 | 0.14 | — |
| Weight | ||||
| Underweight (n, %) | 3 (2%) | 10 (2%) | 0.744 | 0.3 (0.8 to 1.1) |
| Normal (n, %) | 80 (47%) | 215 (43%) | 0.37 (0.2 to 0.4) | |
| Overweight (n, %) | 55 (33%) | 177 (35%) | 0.31 (0.2 to 0.4) | |
| Obesity (n, %) | 31 (18%) | 104 (20%) | 0.29 (0.1 to 0.4) | |
| Comorbidities | ||||
| Diabetes mellitus (n, %) | 3 (1.7%) | 7 (1.3%) | 0.71 | 1.2 (0.3 to 5) |
| Hypothyroidism (n, %) | 4 (2.3%) | 5 (1%) | 0.335 | 2.4 (0.6 to 9) |
| Hypertension (n, %) | 2 (1.2%) | 1 (0.2%) | 0.415 | 6 (0.5 to 66) |
| Medications | ||||
| Opioid use | 0 | 2 (0.4%) | 0.74 | 1.4 (0.13 to 16) |
| Antidepressants | 0 | 3 (0.6%) | 0.99 | 1 (0.1 to 9.5) |
| Anticonvulsants | 1 (0.6%) | 1 (0.2%) | 0.831 | 3 (0.1 to 48) |
| Calcium antagonists | 2 (1.2%) | 1 (0.2%) | 0.415 | 6 (0.5 to 66) |
| Regular fibre intake (n, %) | 115 (67%) | 346 (68%) | 0.99 | 1.01 (0.7 to 1.4) |
| Type of fibre | ||||
| High-fibre cereals (n, %) | 36 (21%) | 106 (21%) | 0.34 | 0.3 (0.2 to 0.4) |
| Fruits and vegetables (n, %) | 73 (43%) | 233 (46%) | 0.3 (0.2 to 0.4) | |
| Supplement in capsules (n, %) | 1 (.6%) | 1 (.2%) | 1 (0.6 to 15) | |
| Supplement in powder (n, %) | 5 (3%) | 6 (1.2%) | 0.8 (0.2 to 2.7) | |
| Water intake (n, %) | ||||
| <500 mL per day (n, %) | 2 (1%) | 18 (4%) | 0.222 | 0.1 (0.02 to 0.4) |
| 500 mL to 1 L per day (n, %) | 29 (17%) | 91 (18%) | 0.2 (0.2 to 0.4) | |
| 1 to 2.5 L per day (n, %) | 124 (73%) | 338 (64%) | 0.3 (0.2 to 0.4) | |
| >2.5 L per day (n, %) | 15 (9%) | 61 (12%) | 0.4 0.2 (0.1 to 0.4) | |
| Physical activity before the lockdown | ||||
| Yes (n, %) | 111 (65%%) | 324 (64%) | 0.782 | 1.06 (07. to 1.53) |
| Intensity of physical activity | ||||
| Zero (n, %) | 59 (35%) | 184 (36%) | 0.743 | 0.3 (0.2 to 0.4) |
| Mild (n, %) | 45 (26%) | 115 (23%) | 0.4 (0.2 to 0.5) | |
| Moderate (n, %) | 27 (16%) | 92 (18%) | 0.3 (0.2 to 0.4) | |
| Intense (n, %) | 39 (23%) | 118 (23%) | 0.3 (0.2 to 0.4) | |
| Duration of physical activity | ||||
| <30 min per day (n, %) | 25 (15%) | 61 (12%) | 0.43 | 0.4 (0.2 to 0.6) |
| 30 to 60 min per day (n, %) | 65 (38%) | 154 (30%) | 0.4 (0.3 to 0.5) | |
| 61 to 90 min per day (n, %) | 24 (14%) | 80 (16%) | 0.3 (0.1 to 0.4) | |
| 91 to 120 min per day (n, %) | 8 (5%) | 31 (6%) | 0.2 (0.1 to 0.5) | |
| More than 120 min per day (n, %) | 2 (1%) | 12 (2%) | 0.1 (0.03 to 0.7) | |
| Days of physical activity per week (mean, SD) | 3.1±2.2 | 2.78±2 | 0.07 | — |
| Bowel movement characteristics | ||||
| Bowel movements per day (mean, SD) | 1.9±1 | 2±0.9 | 0.288 | — |
| Bowel movements per week (mean, SD) | 11.2±6 | 12±6 | 0.178 | — |
| Stool consistency according to the Bristol Scale | 3.7±0.7 | 3.7±0.8 | 0.497 | — |
*χ2 test.