[Epidemiologic survey on the prevalence and distribution of infants' common gastrointestinal symptoms in 7 cities in China: a population-based study].

Regurgitation, infantile colic, and functional constipation are common gastrointestinal symptoms in childhood, the aim of this study was to explore the prevalence and distribution of these symptoms in China. A screening program in infants aged 0 to 3 years selected through stratified cluster random sampling was carried out in 7 cities in China. Questionnaires were filled, and then diagnosis were made according to Rome Ⅳ criteria. Areas, (urban-rural), age and gender distribution of prevalence of childhood common gastrointestinal symptoms were analyzed. Totally, 20 932 effective questionnaires were returned. The total number of infants aged 0 to 1 years was 10 193. Regurgitation was diagnosed in 1 960 infants, with the prevalence of 19.2, among infants aged 0 to 3 months that had highest prevalence (29.8). The prevalence decreased with age, and differences among different age groups showed significant. For infantile colic, 4 470 infants aged 0 to 5 months were analyzed and the prevalence of infantile colic was 7.3. The prevalence of infantile colic was the highest in infants aged 1 to 2 months (10.0). Age specific difference was significant. Of all the infants, functional constipation was diagnosed in 1 755 infants with the prevalence of 8.4, and the lowest prevalence was found in infants aged 0 to 3 months (6.2), and the highest prevalence was in infants aged 30 to 36 months (10.0). The differences in different age group were significant. Symptoms of regurgitation, infantile colic, and functional constipation are common in infants in China, with age specific difference in prevalence of the symptoms.