[Health consideration and defecation tendencies of elderly people]

Elderly people (males 742, 65-91 years old; females 371, 65-84 years old) were asked to answer a questionnaire on health and defecation tendencies. 1. Ninety-four percent of the males and 95% of the females considered their food intake sufficient to maintain their health (no difference between sexes). As for their food intake requirements, 68% of the males and 70% of the females answered that they knew about them, while 9% of the males and 6% of the females answered that they did not (no difference between sexes). 2. Of those with regular defecation every day, there were more males (68%) than females (49%). Seventeen percent of the males and 35% of the females defecated from four to six times per week, while 14% of the males and 13% of the females did so less than three times per week, with the difference between sexes being significant (p < 0.001). Both males (93%) and females (92%) tended to consider that constipation could affect their health condition. When asked about defecation, 92% of males and 83% of females answered that they should do so every day. The time for defecation was between when they arose and after breakfast for 76% of the males and 53% of the females. More females (25%) than males (8%) defecated irregularly (p < 0.001, difference between sexes). 3. Of those who did not have defecate every day, the percentage for those who answered that they should do so every day was low, whereas the percentage of those who answered that regularity did not matter was high. A significant relationship between awareness and degree of defecation was found for both males and females (p < 0.001 in both sexes). Those who regularly defecated every day did so in the time between when they arose and after breakfast, while those with irregular defecation did not defecate at a set time. A relationship was found between the time of defecation and the degree of defecation (p < 0.001 in both sexes).