Defaecation frequencies in Black, Indian, Coloured and White populations - what do they signify?

Abstract

Using questionnaires covering a 7-day period, frequencies of defaecation were determined in a total of 2937 Black, Indian. Coloured and White subjects aged from 10 years upwards. It transpired that the overall frequency in rural Blacks was roughly twice that of Whites. Among rural Blacks defaecation frequencies of 5-7 per week were recorded in 16%, and from 1-3 per day in 80%. The corresponding figures among urban Blacks were 25% and 71%, among Indians 58% and 34%, among Coloureds 46% and 39%, and among Whites 59% and 29%. The wide differential in frequencies between Blacks and Whites is consistent with the wide differential prevailing in proneness to noninfective bowel diseases. On the other hand, Indians and Coloureds had defaecation frequencies little different on average from those of Whites, yet the former two populations are far less prone to bowel diseases. Hence caution must be exercised in correlating defaecation frequency with proneness to bowel diseases. Since bowel behaviour includes numerous aspects, defaecation frequency should not be regarded in isolation.