What condition is common with advancing age causing reduced motility?

Constipation is indeed commonly associated with advancing age due to several physiological changes that occur in the digestive system. As people age, intestinal motility tends to slow down, which can lead to a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements. This happens for several reasons, including a decrease in physical activity, changes in diet, and alterations in the function of the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract.

Additionally, many older adults may take medications that can contribute to constipation, further compounding the issue. The combination of these factors makes constipation a prevalent condition in older populations, significantly impacting their quality of life.

By contrast, while the other conditions listed can also occur in older adults, they are not as directly associated with the age-related reduction in motility. For example, pancreatitis is often related more to gallstones or chronic alcohol use rather than aging itself. Cholelithiasis, or gallstones, is more commonly related to obesity and metabolic syndrome than to age alone. Irritable bowel syndrome can affect individuals across a broad age range and does not specifically correlate with advancing age or reduced motility in the same way. Therefore, constipation stands out as the condition most commonly linked to decreased motility in older adults.