Constipation is defined as fewer than how many bowel movements per week?

• A. Fewer than 3
• B. Fewer than 5
• C. Fewer than 1
• D. Exactly 7

Answer: (A)

Constipation is defined by infrequent bowel movements, commonly fewer than three per week. This threshold is used because normal bowel frequency varies widely among individuals—from multiple movements daily to about three per week—and fewer than three signals a noticeable slowdown in transit that often comes with harder stools and straining. So, the best answer is fewer than three. The other options don’t fit the standard definition: a higher threshold like fewer than five would stretch into a broader range that’s not consistently labeled constipation in practice, fewer than one would imply an almost complete absence of bowel movements, and exactly seven does not indicate infrequent movement.