Two in five women (39%) are uncomfortable talking about bowel problemsBowel health, weight and stomach health are the top three health issues women are most uncomfortable talking aboutWomen suffer digestion problems for an average 4.6 days a month
Health on Female First
A new survey reveals that women may be putting their health at risk by being too embarrassed to talk about serious health problems. Bowel problems tops the list of aliments they don't want to mention, with two in five women (39 per cent) saying they are uncomfortable talking about this.
The survey carried out by the not-for-profit Wholegrain Goodness campaign, reveals that the top 5 health issues women are uncomfortable talking about are:
1. Bowel problems (39 per cent)
2. Weight (24 per cent)
3. Stomach (15 per cent)
4. Feet (13 per cent)
5. Teeth (12 per cent)
The research also reveals that despite women suffering with digestion issues for over four and a half days a month, they found bowel problems the most embarrassing or uncomfortable ailment to discuss with a doctor - even more embarrassing than sexual or mental health. 15 per cent of women put off seeing a doctor about bowel problems, 14 per cent did so about sexual health and 12 per cent did so about depression. It appears that it is not just medical professionals people shy away from talking to either, with one in five women (19 per cent) saying they are too embarrassed to talk about digestion with friends and family.
The survey also shows that 90 per cent of adults don't know how much fibre they should be eating with nearly two thirds not knowing the role fibre plays in helping with health issues such as heart health (64 per cent), managing cholesterol (65 per cent) and preventing constipation (32 per cent).
According to the Department of Health (DOH), we should be eating at least 18g of fibre per day, yet national diet and nutrition surveys show that on average we're only eating about 13.9g daily. The DOH recommends choosing wholegrains where you can as they're typically a good source of fibre in the diet, but the survey also reveals that many of us don't know what wholegrain foods are. 53 per cent of those questioned don't know that porridge is a wholegrain food and 87 per cent have no idea popcorn is too. One in six (16 per cent) mistakenly think baked beans are a wholegrain food and one in ten (10 per cent) even believe apples are.
As well as not knowing how much fibre we should be eating, or what wholegrain foods are, the results reveal that people have no idea about how much fibre is in different foods, with 83 per cent thinking there's less fibre in wholewheat spaghetti than there actually is. Nearly half (48 per cent) don't realise that a bowl of porridge has more fibre than a bag of peanuts, a banana or a portion of boiled carrots, while more than one in ten (13 per cent) incorrectly think there's no fibre in an apple.
Dr Anton Emmanuel, Medical Director for IBS medical research charity CORE, comments: "One of our fundamental concerns is that people find it so hard to talk about bowel and digestive health, even with health professionals. We see thousands of people suffering in silence when they may be concealing bowel problems that could be resolved by simple diet and lifestyle changes; more distressingly symptoms may indicate a more serious underlying health condition which should be assessed early. Many health conditions are hard enough to diagnose, but it is even harder if you are too embarrassed to talk clearly to your doctor."
Therese Coleman consultant registered Dietician for Wholegrain Goodness, says: "It is concerning that so many people are not eating enough fibre but also that there is such widespread confusion about why it is so important for a healthy diet and how to choose the right foods. There's currently no requirement to include fibre or wholegrain content on food labels, which may add to the confusion. Fibre is an important part of a balanced diet, and increasing fibre consumption is a positive dietary change we can all make. Small changes in diet can make such a big difference yet so many let embarrassment stop them from asking for help. Foods rich in fibre, such as many wholegrains, certain fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and potatoes with their skins on, can keep us fuller for longer, as well as keep our digestive system in good health."
The research on fibre and wholegrain in our diet and attitudes towards digestive health was conducted on behalf of Wholegrain Goodness, a not-for-profit campaign which aims to raise consumer awareness about the health and culinary benefits of wholegrains