Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

December 1, 2011

Survey of bowel movements and fiber intake among children
Approximately 40% of elementary school children do not have daily bowel movements
Approximately 60% of mothers in this group feel their children lack fiber

Tokyo, Japan―Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President: Taro Iwamoto) announced today that it had carried out a fact finding survey under the supervision of Dr. Tsuneo Matsuike, head of the Matsuike Clinic (Tokyo), regarding bowel movements and fiber intake among children. Surveying 1,162 mothers with children between the ages of 6-12 on the word-of-mouth women’s website “Women’s Park,” operated by Benesse Corporation, showed that approximately 40% of elementary school students do not have daily bowel movements. The survey suggested that the bowel movements of children in this generation are a point of concern. Furthermore, it is clear that there is an overall lack of awareness on this subject, as while 62.1% of mothers of children who do not have daily bowel movements feel their children lack fiber, only 21% of mothers surveyed think about “improving the bowel movements of their children.”