Cases of primary school children being admitted to hospital with constipation have shot up 60 per cent according to NHS figures — a problem that experts say could be linked to a simultaneous surge in bowel cancer among young people.
The shocking rise is said to partly due to childrens' increasingly poor diets, specifically foods that lack fibre, which is crucial for regulating the digestive system.
A lack of fibre in the diet is also a main driver of bowel cancer, with around a third of all cases attributed to this specific dietary factor, according to Cancer Research UK.
Now, experts say the worrying rise in constipation among 4-16 year-olds 'fits into the bigger picture' of declining gut health among Brits of all ages.
'A low fibre diet slows down the gut,' Professor Tobias Arkenau, a London-based oncologist, told MailOnline.
'If toxins don't move out of the organ it can sit there and eventually cause inflammation and possibly a higher risk of bowel cancer.'
Official data shows bowel cancer rates have increased 52 per cent among 25-to-49 year-olds since the early 90s.
Experts have called for greater awareness of the risks of constipation, which also include stomach pain, vomiting, haemorrhoids and headaches.
A lack of fibre is one cause — dehydration and anxiety about going to the toilet are others.
These factors are common in children and can start as early as when they begin potty training.
Experts warn that if the problem is not dealt with early on, going to the toilet may become painful, which triggers fear in children, leading to a vicious cycle of chronic constipation.
Often this needs to be treated with laxatives over the course of several months and toilet training to help kids achieve a regular bowel habit.
In children under 16, constipation hospitalisations have increased from 29,087 in 2014-15 to 44,161 in 2023-24.
The most significant rise was seen in primary school aged children between age 4 and 11, from 9,977 in 2014-15 to 16,973 in 2023-24.
'It can cause stomach pain, it can cause vomiting, or you can get little tears when you’re trying to push too hard,' Professor Monica Lakhanpaul, a consultant paediatrician at Whittington NHS trust and University College London, told The Guardian.
'Some people will soil at school because they’re constipated or have smelly wind, which can cause emotional difficulties,' she added.
Rebecca McManamon, a consultant dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association said that many children are not getting enough fibre in their diet.
'It can cause diverticular disease and haemorrhoids as well as discomfort or headaches that can impact children from concentrating at school for example,' she said.
Fibre, which is the part of plant-based foods that can't be completely broken down by out guts, helps to regulate bowel movements.
Government guidelines recommend eating 30g of fibre per day — found in leafy green vegetables, pulses and wholegrains.
Diets high in the nutrient have been found to significantly reduce the risk of bowel cancer, because regular bowel movements help to expel harmful chemicals from the body.
Experts have linked the alarming trend in rising bowel cancer rates to modern diets, chemical exposure and lifestyles.
Overall there are around 44,000 cases of bowel cancer every year in the UK and 142,000 in the US, making it the fourth most common cancer in both countries.
Bowel cancer symptoms include changes in bowel movements such as consistent and new diarrhoea or constipation, needing or feeling the need to poo more or less frequently and blood in the stool.
Stomach pain, a lump in the stomach, bloating, unexpected weight-loss and fatigue are among other common signs.
It's thought that 50 per cent of cases are preventable, with 13 per cent caused by eating diets high in processed meat like sausages and bacon.
