Table 5.

Results from the analysis of the bowel movement diary and the Japanese version of the Constipation Assessment Scale Middle Term version (CAS-MT) of healthy adolescent women who ingested maltobionic acid for 4 weeks.

Item	Ingested food	n	Pre-ingestion	Post-2W	Post-4W	Amount of change
						Pre-ingestion vs . Post-2W	Pre-ingestion vs . Post-4W
Defecation days(day/week)	Test food	24	4.54±0.66	5.29±1.90	5.88±1.39	0.75±1.59	1.33±1.05* ,#
	Placebo food		4.79±0.93	5.50±1.29	5.46±1.72	0.71±0.91	0.67±1.17
Fecal amount(piece/day)	Test food	24	2.19±1.10	2.34±1.08	2.47±1.42	0.16±0.65	0.28±0.68
	Placebo food		2.24±1.14	2.48±1.25	2.36±1.20	0.24±0.66	0.12±0.55
CAS score	Test food	24	3.08±2.57	2.54±2.02	1.46±1.59 #	-0.54±2.36	-1.63±2.89* ,#
	Placebo food		3.17±3.33	3.26±2.38	3.30±3.02	0.09±3.48	0.13±3.48
Abdominal distention or bloating	Test food	24	0.58±0.65	0.54±0.66	0.50±0.59	-0.04±0.62	-0.08±0.72
	Placebo food		0.48±0.73	0.65±0.78	0.52±0.59	0.17±0.49	0.04±0.47
Change in amount of gas passed rectally	Test food	24	0.08±0.28	0.17±0.48	0.13±0.34	0.08±0.28	0.04±0.36
	Placebo food		0.22±0.60	0.30±0.56	0.39±0.66	0.09±0.42	0.17±0.39
Less frequent bowel movements	Test food	24	0.46±0.66	0.21±0.41	0.13±0.34 #	-0.25±0.68	-0.33±0.70* ,#
	Placebo food		0.43±0.66	0.39±0.50	0.48±0.51	-0.04±0.71	0.04±0.64
Rectal fullness or pressure	Test food	24	0.42±0.58	0.38±0.58	0.25±0.44	-0.04±0.62	-0.17±0.64
	Placebo food		0.43±0.66	0.57±0.59	0.39±0.50	0.13±0.69	-0.04±0.64
Rectal pain with bowel movement	Test food	24	0.29±0.62	0.25±0.61	0.04±0.20	-0.04±0.46	-0.25±0.68
	Placebo food		0.30±0.56	0.17±0.49	0.30±0.63	-0.13±0.46	0.00±0.60
Small stool size	Test food	24	0.46±0.59	0.33±0.48	0.13±0.34 #	-0.13±0.61	-0.33±0.56* ,#
	Placebo food		0.48±0.59	0.43±0.51	0.57±0.51	-0.04±0.47	0.09±0.60
Urge but inability to pass stool	Test food	24	0.67±0.82	0.63±0.65	0.25±0.44	-0.04±0.69	-0.42±0.83* ,#
	Placebo food		0.48±0.67	0.61±0.66	0.52±0.67	0.13±0.63	0.04±0.71
Oozing liquid stool	Test food	24	0.13±0.34	0.04±0.20	0.04±0.20	-0.08±0.28	-0.08±0.28
	Placebo food		0.04±0.21	0.04±0.21	0.04±0.21	0.00±0.00	0.00±0.00

The study food was evaluated in a crossover study in which one pack (4 g) per day was consumed for 4 weeks, and the washout times were 2 weeks apart. The CAS-MT includes eight items, each of which is self-rated by the participants as 'no problem' (score of 0), 'some problem' (score of 1), or 'severe problem' (score of 2). The item ratings are then summed, so the overall score may range from 0 (no constipation) to 16 (worst possible constipation). Values are mean ± SD. * P < 0.05 ( vs . Pre-ingestion). ^# P < 0.05 ( vs . Placebo food).