New method for the determination of fecal consistency and its optimal value in the general population

Although fecal consistency is an important factor, there has been only one study measuring this parameter. We developed a new method to measure fecal consistency and studied the relationship between fecal consistency and other fecal factors, including water content and weight.

The new method is a modification of the method of Exton-Smith and used an even balance. Subjects in the initial trial were 26 healthy women. Subsequently, fecal consistency was measured in a representative sample of the general Japanese population, in order to evaluate the optimal value to maintain large bowel function.

Correlations between fecal consistency and fecal water content and weight were statistically consistent, although not highly correlated with each other. The optimal mean value was around 300 cm2: 'normal' in 'subjective defecatory state', 295.5 cm2 and 305.2 cm2; 'once/day' in 'defecation frequency', 296.1 cm2 and 310.2 cm2; 'soft and plump' in 'fecal characteristics', 293.6 cm2 and 298.3 cm2, in males and females, respectively. The coefficient of variation of this method ranged from 5.2% to 6.3%.

This method is thought to be applicable to large-scale epidemiological surveys. The optimal value of fecal consistency in the general population was evaluated at approximately 300 g/cm2.