Where Do Americans Spend More Than a Week Each Year? Not on V...( Survey Flushes Out the Secrets of Ame...),Health

Survey Flushes Out the Secrets of Americans' Bathroom Habits

MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether it's "powdering your nose" or settling in for a good read, Americans spend a significant amount of time in the bathroom. According to a recent Yankelovich survey, many Americans spend more than 30 minutes each day in the bathroom -- that adds up to nearly eight days each year -- which is more than double that of the average vacation trip(1). And contrary to popular belief, men spend almost as much time in the bathroom as women.

The findings were released as part of an effort to examine the bathroom habits of the American consumer and explore the reasons why this previously unrecognized "drain" on consumers' time may be an indication of larger health issues.

No More Excuses

The survey also revealed that one in four Americans at some time have made up an excuse for why they're going to the bathroom in the first place. Furthermore, men in this group were just as likely to make up an excuse as women, which contradicts the thought that men are more open to discussing what happens behind closed doors.

"Making excuses for bathroom habits could be a sign that something else is going on," Dr. Anish Sheth, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine. "Millions of Americans experience digestive problems, but few know that key to digestive health is maintaining a balance between the 'good' and 'bad' bacteria in the colon, a vital part of the digestive system. But there are things consumers can do such as taking a probiotic to address digestive symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, gas and bloating, as well as overall colon health."

Probiotics are live microorganisms, similar to the good bacteria found inside the body. Available mainly through foods and dietary supplements, probiotics -- like Phillips' Colon Health(TM) -
'/>"/>