[A population-based epidemiologic study of bowel habits in Guangdong province]

To determine the bowel habits and its perceptions in the general population of Guangdong province.

Random clustered sampling involving permanent inhabitants aged 18 - 80 year was carried out under stratification of urban and suburban areas in Guangdong province. Questionnaire included the items on the characteristics of people being selected and their bowel habits.

A total of 4103 residents (male 1878, female 2225) were investigated. Mean age among the responders was 42.81 ± 14.13 year. Among 4056 subjects (missing = 47), 2972 subjects (73.3%) reported daily defecation, and 3951 subjects (97.4%) reported stool frequency between 3 times per week and three times per day. Two hundred and seventy subjects (6.6%) reported abnormal bowel habits by themselves. The stool frequency (OR = 2.03, 95%CI: 1.54 - 2.67), forms of stool (OR = 2.75, 95%CI: 2.35 - 3.22) and straining (OR = 3.56, 95%CI: 2.49 - 5.11) were significantly associated with self-reported abnormal bowel habits. Among 3949 subjects (missing = 154), 644 (16.3%) were defined as having abnormal bowel habits according to Rome II criteria. There was poor agreement between self-reported abnormal bowel habits and that defined by Rome II criteria (Kappa = 0.312).

It seemed to be appropriate that the normal stool frequency was defined as bowel movements between 3 times per week and three times per day in the general population. The prevalence of self-reported abnormal bowel habits was lower than that defined by Rome II criteria and the agreement between these two definitions was poor.