Obesity and functional bowel disorders in children

Abstract

Obesity and functional bowel disorders (FBDs) are often observed in children and share common risk factors. However, the possible relationship between these conditions has begun to be studied recently and the results obtained are ambiguous. Therefore, it is important to summarize the literature on the relationship between obesity and FBDs in children and to discuss the possible pathophysiological mechanisms mediating this. The literature suggests that obesity and FBDs are likely associated conditions. A significant link between obesity and irritable bowel syndrome in children has been confirmed by all studies on this problem. There is also a many evidence that obesity in the pediatric cohort is associated with constipation. However, it should also be noted that there are few studies of this issue, they are heterogeneous in the composition of participants and the diagnostic criteria used, in most cases they are unadjusted for potential confounders. The link between obesity and FBDs may be mediated by diet, eating habits, and psychological factors. But the most promising direction in studying the association between these conditions may be studies of the gut microbiota, changes in which can contribute to impaired intestinal immune function, the development of chronic low-grade inflammation, increased intestinal permeability, impaired motility and visceral hypersensitivity. To date, there is insufficient data to confidently confirm the existence and nature of the relationship between obesity and FBDs in children, but research in this direction can provide important information for the development of approaches to treatment, prevention and early diagnosis of both groups of diseases.