Colon transit time according to physical activity and characteristics in South Korean adults

To investigate factors contributing to the colon transit time (CTT), physical activity and characteristics were examined.

Forty-seven Korean adults (males, n = 23; females, n = 24) took a capsule containing 20 radio-opaque markers to measure the CTT. The subjects used an accelerometer to measure the physical activity and underwent a bioelectrical impedance analysis to determine the physical characteristics. Macro-nutrient was also surveyed.

The mean total CTTs (TCTT) in the males and females were 8.8 and 24.7 h (P = 0.002), respectively. In the male subjects, the right CTT (3.5 ± 4.9 h vs 10.0 ± 11.6 h, P = 0.023) and recto-sigmoid CTT (4.4 ± 4.7 vs 13.6 ± 12.5 h, P = 0.004) were significantly shorter and the total energy expenditure (637.6 ± 44.3 kcal vs 464.3 ± 64.9 kcal, P = 0.003), total activity count (247,017 ± 75,022 count vs 178,014 ± 75,998 count, P = 0.003), energy expenditure of light intensity (148.5 ± 6.9 kcal vs 120.0 ± 16.8 kcal, P = 0.006), energy expenditure of moderate intensity (472.0 ± 36.2 kcal vs 281.4 ± 22.2 kcal, P < 0.001), fat intake (65.5 ± 23.3 g vs 51.2 ± 17.4 g, P = 0.010), and water consumption (1714.3 ± 329.4 g vs 1164.7 ± 263.6 g, P = 0.009) were significantly higher than in the female subjects. Regarding correlations, when adjusted for gender, fiber (r = -0.545, P < 0.001) and water intake (r = -0.257, P < 0.05) correlated significantly with the TCTT in all subjects. In addition, the body mass index (r = -0.424, P < 0.05) and fiber intake (r = -0.417, P < 0.05) in the males as well as the fiber intake (r = -0.655, P < 0.001) in the females showed significant correlations with the TCTT.

The subjects showed significant gender differences in the TCTT, right CTT, and recto-sigmoid CTT. Furthermore, the intake of the fiber and water contributed to the CTT.