In a world of popular fast food restaurants, highly processed snacks and sweetened drinks, it is not surprising that constipation is a widespread problem for many children. If your child has or may have constipation, is important to encourage regular physical activity and provide a high fiber diet to alleviate pain and potential long-term complications.

We all know that regular physical activity is extremely important for our children for a multitude of reasons. But did you know that it can also help to promote bowel regularity? Sedentary lifestyles contribute to constipation, and physical activity actually helps to alleviate it. Easy walking or any light exercise is often enough to maintain healthy bowel movements.

Most people also appreciate that diet plays an enormous role in constipation, but remembering what foods can help control it can sometimes be confusing. If you or your child suffers from constipation, consider these dietary guidelines.

First, it is a good idea to know how much fiber is recommended in your child's diet. The recommended daily amount of fiber per day for children is the child’s age + 5 grams. That means a three-year-old child should get eight grams a day, and a ten-year-old should get 15.

Adults need at least 30-35 grams fiber per day, more if you consume a high calorie diet. If you are eating a high fiber diet, please drink plenty of fluids each day to soften the stools. Fluids and fiber need to work together for the best effect! If you want to determine your family's fluid needs, please see my previous article on family hydration.

Foods that constipate

In general, these foods have a constipating effect:

• White flour rice, pasta, bread, bagels, pretzels


• Applesauce


• Apples without skin


• Bananas


• Potatoes and potato chips


• Processed foods such as snack chips, cookies and candy

Foods that prevent/reduce constipation

The following foods contain a large amount of fiber and help to prevent constipation:

• All fruits and vegetables except apples w/o skin, bananas and white potatoes


• Whole wheat pasta, rice, breads


• Nuts and seeds


• Peas, beans, lentils


• Dried fruits

When searching for foods high in fiber, look at the Nutrition Facts label and aim to buy foods which contain 3 grams dietary fiber or more per serving. You can learn more about this in my food label lingo post.

The role of milk products

If you are lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy, milk products may have a laxative or constipating effect on your child. To determine this sensitivity, you can remove the trigger dairy food from the diet for 4-7 days to see if there is a major shift in the bowel patterns.

And lastly, please remember that foods have different effects on different children. For example, cheese may act as constipating for one child and have a laxative effect on another child. So my best advice is to record everything your child eats or drinks for a full week. With the help of diet records, you can look back to determine which foods are most effective for your child’s condition.

Do you have any other solutions to prevent constipation in your family? Share them with us!