Nearly 6,000 adults in the U.S., UK, and Mexico were recruited online to answer various questions about their health, including whether they had experienced up to seven gas-related symptoms recently. These symptoms included bloating, abdominal distention (a swollen belly), flatulence, and bad breath. Those surveyed were meant to be representative of the general population.
Eighty-one percent said they had experienced flatulence in the past 24 hours, while 60% said they had a rumbling stomach, and 58% had belched. The least common symptom—bloating—was still reported by 38% of participants. Ultimately, only 11% reported not experiencing any gas-related symptoms the day before. The findings were presented Saturday at the annual conference of the United European Gastroenterology.
“I think the most remarkable and surprising finding in our study is that almost all adults in the general population experience some daily gas-related symptoms. This is important given the data also clearly reveals that these symptoms affect people’s general wellbeing,” said lead author Olafur Palsson, a clinical psychologist and health researcher from the University of North Carolina Department of Medicine, in a release from the UEG.
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