Constipation is a disease that is not unfamiliar to everyone. In life, constipation is easily caused by eating foods that are difficult to digest and not liking to drink water. In clinical practice, constipation in the elderly can have a greater impact on the body. So, do you know what causes constipation in the elderly? What are the causes of constipation in the elderly? 1, age-related The prevalence of constipation in the elderly is significantly higher than that of young adults, mainly due to the increase in age, the amount of food and physical activity of the elderly is significantly less, the gastrointestinal tract secrete less digestive juices, the tension and peristalsis of the intestinal tube is weakened, the abdominal cavity and pelvic floor muscles are weak, the internal and external sphincter of the anus is weakened, the gastrocolic reflex is weakened, the rectal sensitivity is reduced, so that the food stays in the intestine for too long, water overabsorption caused by constipation. In addition, the elderly often due to senile dementia or mental depression and loss of defecation reflex, causing constipation. 2, bad habits (1) dietary factors elderly people lost teeth, like to eat low slag fine food, or a few patients want to convenience, simple diet, lack of coarse fiber, so that the volume of stool shrinkage, increased viscosity, movement in the intestine slowed down, excessive absorption of water and constipation. In addition, the elderly due to eating less, food containing low calorie, gastrointestinal passage time slowed down, can also cause constipation. It has been reported that the gastrocolic reflex is related to the amount of food eaten, with 1000cal meals stimulating colonic motility, but 350cal does not. Fat is the main food to stimulate the reflex, while protein has no such effect. (2) Defecation habits Some elderly people do not develop the habit of regular defecation, often ignoring the normal bowel movement, resulting in the suppression of the defecation reflex and causing constipation. (3) Reduced activity Elderly people due to certain diseases and obesity factors, resulting in reduced activity, especially patients who are bedridden or wheelchair-bound due to the lack of locomotor stimulation to promote the movement of feces, often prone to constipation. 3, psychosomatic factors suffer from depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other psychological disorders are prone to constipation, according to Merkel and other studies show that 1/3 of the patients with constipation depression, anxiety scores significantly higher. 4, intestinal lesions intestinal lesions such as inflammatory bowel disease, tumors, hernia, rectal prolapse, etc., such lesions lead to functional outlet obstruction caused by defecation disorders.