The UK’s biggest bowel movement study to date has revealed how long we spend on the toilet, when we like to go and how often.
More than 140,000 people took part in The Big Poo Review – in an attempt to “break the poo taboo”.
The study found that the average Brit poops at least once a day (1.66 times on average), while one in 400 Brits poops less than once a week.
It also found that people in Westminster spent most of their time on the toilet, sitting for six minutes at a time. This is two minutes longer than the average.
The study was carried out by the ZOE Health Study in partnership with Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch.
The UK’s biggest study of bowel movements to date has revealed how long we spend on the toilet, when we like to go and how often
Participants filled out an online survey of about 20 questions asking them how much they poop.
It broke down toilet habits in the UK and found that 13 per cent of people are so affected by their bowel and bowel health that it interferes with their daily lives.
And it turns out that Britain is a country of morning greetings, with almost a third getting dressed after breakfast (60.7 per cent) and a third as soon as they wake up (32.9 per cent).
This is explained by the gastric colic reflex – where your small and large intestines process all the food you ate the previous day while you sleep. When you wake up, your body is ready to go.
Participants were also asked if they had symptoms when they went to the bathroom.
The most common answer was “incomplete evacuations”, which was acknowledged by more than a third of Britons (36 per cent).
And shockingly, nearly one in 10 (9.2 percent) said they used their fingers to help themselves poop. Experts do not recommend manual techniques.
Another strong number showed that nearly a quarter of women suffer from constipation (23 percent), compared to just 13 percent of men.
The NHS defines constipation as a person having bowel movements less than three times a week, often with large, dry, hard or lumpy stools and experiencing straining or pain.
Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of ZOE, said: “One of the best ways to understand our gut health is how often we go to the bathroom.
“We know from ZOE research on blue stern that transit time from plate to toilet is a strong predictor of gut health.”
He added that the research “entangled thousands of people in their faeces for the first time” and will allow experts to tailor their advice to better help those who may be “silently struggling with their gut health”.
Steph McGovern, moderator of Steph’s Packed Lunch, said: “It’s amazing to see the results of our research and to know that scientists around the world can actually use all this data to improve the way patients are cared for, to to improve.
“I love that the viewers of Steph’s Packed Lunch were brave enough to open up about their bowel movements and break the poo taboo!”
READ MORE: Charity warns tens of thousands of Brits could be unknowingly suffering from a little-known bowel condition mistaken for IBS
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
