Intestinal constipation in elderly and the relationship with physical activity, food and cognition
a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1679-9836.v98i3p202-207Keywords:
Constipation, Exercise, Feeding, Cognition, Health promotion, AgedAbstract
Intestinal constipation is a frequent problem in the elderly population, interfering negatively in their quality of life. The objective of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the influence of physical activity, eating and cognition on intestinal constipation in the elderly. For the development of the present study a bibliographic research was carried out in the years 2006 to 2016, through searches in national and international journals indexed in the Lilacs, PubMed and SciELO databases with the following descriptors: Constipation and Physical Activity; Constipation and Feeding; Constipation and Cognition. After combining the descriptors, 172 articles were identified, with 11.6% (n = 20) in relation to Constipation and Physical Activity, 27.3% (n = 47) Constipation and Food and 61.1% (n = 105) in the search with Constipation and Cognition. It can be noted that physical inactivity, poor diet and psychological symptoms contribute to the presence of intestinal constipation. With the present study it was possible to verify that it is necessary to develop public policies related to the early diagnosis of these conditions, as well as the control of the associated factors.