Bowels of the Earth
Which country has the largest (and smallest) average stool size.
Topics
Supplementary Info
Bowels of the Earth,
Sources Cited
Davies GJ, Crowder M, Reid B, Dickerson JW. Bowel function measurements of individuals with different eating patterns. Gut. 1986 Feb;27(2):164-9.
Evans M, Sinclair RC, Fusimalohi C, Liava'a V. Globalization, diet, and health: an example from Tonga. Bull World Health Organ. 2001;79(9):856-62.
Acknowledgements
Images thanks to flagpedia.net
Transcript
Who’s number 1?—at, number two? The country with the largest average bowl movements? Denmark, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Tonga—an island in the south pacific—the UK or the USofA? Remember the target minimum fecal output is 200 grams day—'bout a half a pound.
And the winner of the bowels of the earth contest was Tonga at 531! The only other country to make the 200 target was, India, who gets the silver at 311 (with individual measurements ranging up to 1505 grams—that’s that more than three pounds! That’s impressive). And the bronze goes to Japan at 195—almost made the cutoff. Everybody else fell short, with the smallest stools in the world colored red white and blue. U.S. vegetarians faired better, though, as did vegetarian and vegan Brits.
There actually was one population that did even worse than the standard American diet. The smallest average population bowel movement size ever recorded: New Yorkers. That’s less than 3 ounces.
Instead of just living there, if only they would actually eat a big apple once and awhile...
On the other end of the spectrum, though: What are they eating in Tonga? Well this was recorded decades ago when they were still eating their traditional plant-based diet of taro, greens, sweet potatoes, fruit, more greens, bananas, cabbage.
Now, tragically, the most frequently consumed food item in the country is, “imported chicken parts.”
And this is what happened. From one of the healthiest nations in the world, to one of the most obese. Thanks in part to the westernization of their diets.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.
To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org
Doctor's Note
Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. For information on stool size, check out Stool size matters! Also, there are 1,449 subjects covered in my other videos–please feel free to explore them!
For more context, check out my associated blog posts: Stool Size and Breast Cancer Risk, Kiwi Fruit for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Bowel movements: the scoop on poop.
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GW
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http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=640861216 Gary Yuen
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Michael Greger M.D.
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mirabelle
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Jim Johnson
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Fidel Castrati
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