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Because Digestive Health Matters | International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders November 2025 eNewsletter | | | |
December marks Constipation Awareness Month- a dedicated time to spotlight a common yet often overlooked digestive health issue. Despite affecting millions of people across all ages, constipation is still rarely talked about openly. In the U.S., it’s estimated that nearly 20% of adults and about 16% of children live with chronic constipation.
Although the condition is widespread, many individuals hesitate to speak up about their symptoms or seek guidance, leading to unnecessary discomfort and frustration. This month, our mission is to help normalize conversations around digestive health, offer evidence-based education, and ensure people know where to find support. Whether you're experiencing constipation yourself or helping someone who is, this awareness effort aims to foster understanding and encourage meaningful dialogue.
Throughout the month, we’ll be highlighting practical tips, educational tools, and personal insights that shed light on constipation and its impact on daily life. Our goal is to give people the knowledge they need to recognize symptoms, pursue proper medical care when appropriate, and build habits that promote long-term digestive wellness.
By coming together to elevate awareness, we can break down stigma, acknowledge the real challenges constipation poses, and empower more individuals to take charge of their digestive health. Join the conversation and help spread the word on social media using #ConstipationAwarenessMonth and #KeepThingsMoving.
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With Constipation Awareness Month in full swing, we will be bringing a variety of resources aimed to to raise awareness about constipation, its causes, prevention, and treatment while encouraging open conversation and healthy lifestyle habits that support regular bowel movements.
For the next 4 weeks, IFFGD will be your source for all things constipation. We encourage you to follow us on social media and participate in our awareness campaign.
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Join us for a special edition of 5 Minutes in GI featuring Iris Wang, MD as part of Constipation Awareness Month this December. In this quick and informative segment, Dr. Wang walks us through the role of diet in easing constipation—highlighting which foods can help soften stool, aid in fluid intake & support digestive comfort.
Click the button below to watch our latest release.
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While constipation is well understood within the medical community, many common beliefs about what causes it and how to treat it are not supported by evidence. These misconceptions can increase both discomfort and the overall burden of the condition.
It’s important to be informed about constipation because accurate knowledge empowers individuals to seek appropriate care, recognize when symptoms may signal a more serious issue, and make lifestyle or treatment choices based on evidence rather than myth. Constipation is a common health concern, yet many people feel embarrassed to discuss it- increasing public understanding can also help reduce stigma. By normalizing conversations and improving awareness, we can encourage people to seek help sooner and manage the condition more effectively.
Click the button below to learn more about some of the common constipation myths.
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If you missed the latest Norton Education Series, Overview of Gastrointestinal Symptoms, you can now catch up on every presentation on our YouTube channel.
Developed by IFFGD in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, this program features over 20 expert-led talks covering symptoms across the upper, middle, and lower GI tract, along with guidance on recognizing alarm symptoms. The series was led by Program Committee Chairs Dr. Brad Kuo and Dr. Kyle Staller of Massachusetts General Hospital, and is designed to empower patients with practical, evidence-based information to support long-term digestive health and reduce unnecessary healthcare utilization.
Visit our channel to watch the full lineup and revisit the sessions at your own pace.
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Traveling with a gastrointestinal (GI) condition requires some extra planning, but with the right strategies, you can enjoy your trip while managing your health.
It's essential to stick to your regular eating routine as much as possible, even when traveling. If you're flying, make sure to carry your own snacks and avoid heavy, greasy foods that can trigger discomfort. Staying hydrated is key, especially if you're in warmer climates, and it’s helpful to carry medications or supplements that you might need, along with a doctor’s note if necessary. Planning for restroom access is also important—make sure you know where the facilities are, whether you're at the airport, on a road trip, or at your destination.
By taking these proactive steps, you can minimize GI flare-ups and focus on enjoying your travels with greater peace of mind.
Click the button below to explore more tips.
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Clinical trials and research studies help to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of diseases and advance the development of new and better treatment options. By participating in a study, you can help further the advancement of research and learn more about your condition.
Here are 3 studies currently recruiting participants:
| | Study of Enterra Programming with Nocturnal Cycling in Gastroparetics (RESTING) | | Understanding Mechanisms of Normal and Disordered Defecation | | Fecobionics in Biofeedback Therapy in Dyssynergia Patients | | Thomas Edward Wallach, M.D., is the Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Fellowship Director of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Research Director of Pediatrics, and an Assistant Professor at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, as well as Visiting Professor of Pediatrics at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. Dr. Wallach is a physician-scientist and medical educator, focusing clinically on pain disorders and disease of gut-brain interaction, and in his research, focuses on the interaction of our environment (both biochemical and socioeconomic) and intestinal epithelial function. | |
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He completed his medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin, residency at Columbia University–New York Presbyterian, and a research-intensive fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology at the University of California, San Francisco. His scholarship bridges the fields of clinical medicine, laboratory science, and public health, encompassing NIH- and foundation-supported projects on nutrition, lactation, intestinal inflammation, and disparities in pediatric care. His work has recently been supported with R01 funding, and aligns clearly with his goals of modernizing and expanding capacity for pediatric GI care in Brooklyn, New York, and its diverse and dynamic population.
Dr. Wallach is passionate about medical education, patient access to care, and “bringing up the floor,” a concept of improving health outcomes by making sure everyone has good access to known and effective information and treatments. His commitment to this area has driven the foundation of the New York Pediatric Gut Club, an academic and collaborative network for peds GI in NYC, and the “Eats Streets and Beets” Conference, a novel pediatric nutrition conference combining academic research, medical communication training, and community engagement. His appointment at AKU will bring with it an effort to set up the first pediatric GI training division in Pakistan, expanding access to care. His novel one week feeding program seeks to revolutionize access to effective feeding therapy, improving outcomes and socialization in children with restrictive feeding or developmental delays.
Dr. Wallach was inspired into policy advocacy by his experience with his brother, Brian Wallach, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2017. The family helped establish I Am ALS, a nonprofit in the space which has driven hundreds of millions of dollars of new research funding in the disease. He has applied this passion to issues of disparities and access to care in gastroenterology, from insistence on “Top Down” treatment of inflammatory bowel disease despite clear evidence to the contrary, and the FDA restriction of treatments with high efficacy in debilitating neurogastroenterology conditions. This effort prompted his work with IFFGD, a preeminent patient lead advocacy group in our field, to amplify his voice in Washington, provide friendly, accessible and accurate information to parents, and work to advance the cause of pediatric health and quality of life in all domains.
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IFFGD is a nonprofit organization. We rely on donor support to fund research and to provide reliable information and support to those affected by chronic gastrointestinal disorders.
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