Title: The association between dietary vitamin B1 intake and constipation: a population-based
study
Version: 3 Date: 25 Feb 2024
Reviewer's report:
PEER REVIEWER ASSESSMENTS:
OBJECTIVE - Full research articles: is there a clear objective that addresses a testable research
question(s) (brief or other article types: is there a clear objective)?
Yes - there is a clear objective
DESIGN - Is the current approach (including controls and analysis protocols) appropriate for
the objective?
No - there are major issues
EXECUTION - Are the experiments and analyses performed with technical rigor to allow
confidence in the results?
No - there are major issues
STATISTICS - Is the use of statistics in the manuscript appropriate?
No - there are issues with the statistics in the study
INTERPRETATION - Is the current interpretation/discussion of the results reasonable and not
overstated?
No - there are minor issues
OVERALL MANUSCRIPT POTENTIAL - Is the current version of this work technically
sound? If not, can revisions be made to make the work technically sound?
Maybe - with major revisions
PEER REVIEWER COMMENTS:
GENERAL COMMENTS: Using NHANES data, the authors analyzed the association between
vitamin B1 intake and constipation among adults. The findings provide some new knowledge.
However, there are some concerns on the analyses and interpretation.
1. Figure 2 is misleading. The distribution of vitamin B1 should be added to the plot. The outliers
of vitamin B1 intake should be removed in the figure.  Values greater than 3 should not be in
the figure. The syntax used to generate the figure should be provided. Why was the reference
point set at 2 mg/day? Why was the reference odds ratio not equal to 1?
2. The number of participants with two-24 hour food recall should be provided. The inclusion
of those with only one-24 hour food recall is likely to introduce some bias. Two-24 hour food
recall is preferred.
3. The inclusion of all three macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrate) and energy intake in
the multivariable model is not justified. Over-adjustment is likely.
4. Subgroup analyses results showed that the association between vitamin B1 intake and
constipation was only significant in some groups. It is not valid to claim the association is
consistent.
5. What was the association with constipation if the authors compare adequate and inadequate
vitamin B1 intake?
6. The manuscript should be proofread for the language. For example, drinking wine,
multifactorial logistic regression.
REQUESTED REVISIONS:
Major revision is needed.
Title: The association between dietary vitamin B1 intake and constipation: a population-based
study
Version: 3 Date: 25 Feb 2024
Reviewer's report:
PEER REVIEWER ASSESSMENTS:
OBJECTIVE - Full research articles: is there a clear objective that addresses a testable research
question(s) (brief or other article types: is there a clear objective)?
Yes - there is a clear objective
DESIGN - Is the current approach (including controls and analysis protocols) appropriate for
the objective?
No - there are major issues
EXECUTION - Are the experiments and analyses performed with technical rigor to allow
confidence in the results?
No - there are major issues
STATISTICS - Is the use of statistics in the manuscript appropriate?
No - there are issues with the statistics in the study
INTERPRETATION - Is the current interpretation/discussion of the results reasonable and not
overstated?
No - there are minor issues
OVERALL MANUSCRIPT POTENTIAL - Is the current version of this work technically
sound? If not, can revisions be made to make the work technically sound?
Maybe - with major revisions
PEER REVIEWER COMMENTS:
GENERAL COMMENTS: Using NHANES data, the authors analyzed the association between
vitamin B1 intake and constipation among adults. The findings provide some new knowledge.
However, there are some concerns on the analyses and interpretation.
1. Figure 2 is misleading. The distribution of vitamin B1 should be added to the plot. The outliers
of vitamin B1 intake should be removed in the figure.  Values greater than 3 should not be in
the figure. The syntax used to generate the figure should be provided. Why was the reference
point set at 2 mg/day? Why was the reference odds ratio not equal to 1?
2. The number of participants with two-24 hour food recall should be provided. The inclusion
of those with only one-24 hour food recall is likely to introduce some bias. Two-24 hour food
recall is preferred.
3. The inclusion of all three macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrate) and energy intake in
the multivariable model is not justified. Over-adjustment is likely.
4. Subgroup analyses results showed that the association between vitamin B1 intake and
constipation was only significant in some groups. It is not valid to claim the association is
consistent.
5. What was the association with constipation if the authors compare adequate and inadequate
vitamin B1 intake?
6. The manuscript should be proofread for the language. For example, drinking wine,
multifactorial logistic regression.
REQUESTED REVISIONS:
Major revision is needed.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: The association between dietary vitamin B1 intake and constipation: a population-based
study
Version: 3 Date: 25 Feb 2024
Reviewer's report:
PEER REVIEWER ASSESSMENTS:
OBJECTIVE - Full research articles: is there a clear objective that addresses a testable research
question(s) (brief or other article types: is there a clear objective)?
Yes - there is a clear objective
DESIGN - Is the current approach (including controls and analysis protocols) appropriate for
the objective?
No - there are major issues
EXECUTION - Are the experiments and analyses performed with technical rigor to allow
confidence in the results?
No - there are major issues
STATISTICS - Is the use of statistics in the manuscript appropriate?
No - there are issues with the statistics in the study
INTERPRETATION - Is the current interpretation/discussion of the results reasonable and not
overstated?
No - there are minor issues
OVERALL MANUSCRIPT POTENTIAL - Is the current version of this work technically
sound? If not, can revisions be made to make the work technically sound?
Maybe - with major revisions
PEER REVIEWER COMMENTS:
GENERAL COMMENTS: Using NHANES data, the authors analyzed the association between
vitamin B1 intake and constipation among adults. The findings provide some new knowledge.
However, there are some concerns on the analyses and interpretation.
1. Figure 2 is misleading. The distribution of vitamin B1 should be added to the plot. The outliers
of vitamin B1 intake should be removed in the figure.  Values greater than 3 should not be in
the figure. The syntax used to generate the figure should be provided. Why was the reference
point set at 2 mg/day? Why was the reference odds ratio not equal to 1?
2. The number of participants with two-24 hour food recall should be provided. The inclusion
of those with only one-24 hour food recall is likely to introduce some bias. Two-24 hour food
recall is preferred.
3. The inclusion of all three macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrate) and energy intake in
the multivariable model is not justified. Over-adjustment is likely.
4. Subgroup analyses results showed that the association between vitamin B1 intake and
constipation was only significant in some groups. It is not valid to claim the association is
consistent.
5. What was the association with constipation if the authors compare adequate and inadequate
vitamin B1 intake?
6. The manuscript should be proofread for the language. For example, drinking wine,
multifactorial logistic regression.
REQUESTED REVISIONS:
Major revision is needed.
assistant