Do you think checking your poop is weird? 83% of Americans do it – and doctors approve

It may not happen in a daily conversation, but Watching our poop is something that many of us do.

Health Asked American adults about their shit habits and found that 48% still turn in the toilet, while 60% still check hygienic paper after their departure.

35% and 27% additional said they were looking at least sometimes in the toilet or inspecting hygienic paper respectively after a sole.

What you find in the toilet bowl may not be a nice view, but This habit shared by 83% of Americans is healthy, said Felice Schnoll-Sussman, MD, director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health in NewYork-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medicine.

“There is nothing to be embarrassed, and this could lead to early detection of a problem,” she said Health.

Here is what the experts had to say about the results of our survey, as well as the appearance of your poop can tell you about your health.

For this investigation, Health asked 2,001 adults living in the United States to think about their shit habits and their digestive health. The online survey was carried out from June 11 to 19 and the respondents were broken down into the following age groups:

• Respondents of the Z generation, 18 to 28 years old
• Millennials, 29 to 44 years old
• Respondents of generation X, 45 to 60
• Baby-boomers and more, 61 years and over

When asked: “After having a saddle, How often do you check toilet paper? “, The responses were similar to the age group.

But elderly were more likely to respond to the affirmative when asked: “After having a saddle, How often do you look in the toilet? ».

However millennials reported by looking in the toilet less frequently than any other generation, they also reported the highest rate of digestive problems; Half said they had been diagnosed with digestive disease and 40% said they had recently experienced symptoms.

In comparison, only 40% of Gen Xers and baby boomers, and 30% of the Zers generation said they had a digestive condition.

So why don’t the millennials look after their departure, even if their digestive health is worse? Schnoll-Sussman said she suspected it might have something to do with that Dependence on generation towards applications, health technology and other devices To tell them about their overall health, rather than looking for physical clues.

Forty-nine percent of millennials, 48% of generation Z, 47% of generation X and 44% of baby boomers (and older) said they thought their Intestinal habits are “completely” linked to their overall health.

This is certainly true, Mark Pimentel, MD, gastroenterologist and executive director of the program Medically associated with science and technology (MAST) in Cedars-Sinai, said Health.

The hygienic paper verification is more on hygiene. “People are more likely to look at hygienic paper to make sure they are clean,” said Pimentel.

But a glance in the toilet can provide precious information on your health more generally, he said.

Changes in the color, shape and consistency of stools can be indicators that something is disabled –These are not things that you can usually take into account to check the hygienic paper, said Schnoll-Sussman.

These changes may indicate a number of potential problems, said Pimentel, in particular:

• Digestive disorders
• Problems with thyroid hormone levels
• Problems with blood sugar
• Bad drug reactions

Daily changes – unless they are extreme, are generally not serious and are generally the result of the supply or hydration levels, adding pimentel.

However, “so many diseases affect the intestine,” he said. “It’s all about change. All differences [in bowel movements] must be noted and verified. »»

Understand yours Intestinal motifs– The time how often you are pooping and what it looks like – is the key to knowing when something could be turned off, advised Schnoll -Sussman.

You can use the Bristol Tool Toal, A diagnostic tool that poops in seven categories depending on the size and texture, to assess your stool. Type 4 on the graph is considered to be “healthy” and frequent deviations can be a sign of constipation, diarrhea or digestive conditions.

When you take a look in the toilet after your departure, Here is what you should look for, According to Pimentel and Schnoll-Sussman.

Color

The normal stools are generally brown and any deviation can be a sign that something is disabled. This includes:

Coherence and form

Healthy poop is the shape of a sausage and looks like a log with cracks and crevices, According to the Bristol stool table.

Poop which is small and hard as a pebble can mean that you are constipated—Dehydration, do not eat enough fiber or certain drugs can cause this.

Pasty or aqueous poop (diarrhea) Can occur for many reasons, ranging from an infection to an inflammatory intestine (MII) disease.

Phain poop in pencil Can be normal, but if this happens regularly, this may indicate an obstruction in the colon due to diverticular disease or, in rare cases, cancer.

Although looking at your poop regularly is important, you don’t have to do too much.

“You don’t need to watch every day, but [check] On a regular basis, “said Pimentel.” You will be the first to notice if something is wrong. “”

There is No need to worry about minor daily changes, Or self-diagnostic to create “doomsday scenarios”, added Schnoll-Sussman.

Instead, if you notice that something is disabled – in particular consistent changes in your appearance or regular coca habits – Consult a doctor. Many problems that appear in our poop are more treatable as soon as they have been taken, said Pimentel.

If you notice changes, Start tracking your poop using the graphic of the Bristol stools and bring this data to your doctor. Or, you can take photos of what is in the intestine, advised Schnoll-Sussman.

And although talking to your POOP health professional can be intimidating, don’t prevent you from getting help, said Schnoll-Sussman.

“It is important to understand that doctors are very comfortable talking about stool,” she said. “You will not give us off. This is what we do and like to do, especially gastroenterologists like me. »»