{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T00:51:37Z","timestamp":1785199897626,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,24]],"date-time":"2023-07-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1690156800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"B Food Science Co., Ltd."}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Constipation is common in children and can significantly affect quality of life. Prebiotics are reportedly helpful for constipation in adults, but few studies have examined their use in young children. In this study, the effect of 1-kestose (kestose), which has excellent bifidobacterial growth properties, on constipation in kindergarten children (n = 11) was compared with that of maltose (n = 12) in a randomized, double-blind study. Three grams of kestose per day for 8 weeks did not affect stool properties, but significantly increased the number of defecations per week (Median; 3 \u2192 4 times\/week, p = 0.017, effect size = 0.53). A significant decrease in Intestinibacter, a trend toward increased bifidobacteria, and a trend toward decreased Clostridium sensu stricto were observed after kestose ingestion, while concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in stools were unchanged.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu15143276","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,25]],"date-time":"2023-07-25T01:27:32Z","timestamp":1690248452000},"page":"3276","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Effect of 1-Kestose on Defecation Habits in Constipated Kindergarten Children: A Pilot Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Mayuko","family":"Takahashi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"B Food Science Co., Ltd., Chita 478-0046, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yoshihiro","family":"Kadota","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"B Food Science Co., Ltd., Chita 478-0046, Aichi, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3959-9343","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yuki","family":"Shiko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Research Center, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba 260-8677, Chiba, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7474-7647","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yohei","family":"Kawasaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing, Shibuya 150-0012, Tokyo, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kenichi","family":"Sakurai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8670, Chiba, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1144-8316","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chisato","family":"Mori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8670, Chiba, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naoki","family":"Shimojo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8670, Chiba, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e156","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2009-1009","article-title":"Long-Term Prognosis for Childhood Constipation: Clinical Outcomes in Adulthood","volume":"126","author":"Bongers","year":"2010","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"471","DOI":"10.17219\/acem\/131215","article-title":"The Significance of the Gut Microbiome in Children with Functional Constipation","volume":"30","author":"Kwiatkowska","year":"2021","journal-title":"Adv. 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