Does Physical Activity Level, Anthropometric Measurements, and Nutritional Status Affect Stool Type in Adult Women?

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 3, 674 - 681, 30.09.2025

Özlem Baran , Muhammed Enes Kartal , Aybüke Coşkun , Cemaliye Süt Kurt , Birgül Dağ , Nursena Nahya Servi , Gökcen Doğan , Sevinç Yücecan , Ayhan Dağ

https://doi.org/10.33808/clinexphealthsci.1700763

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the stool types of adult women and evaluate their relationships with physical activity status, anthropometric measurements and nutritional status.
Methods: This study was conducted with 1479 women between the ages of 18-65 years residing in Ankara, Turkey. To determine the nutritional status of the participants, a daily food consumption record was obtained using the 24-hour food recall method. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ) was used to determine the physical activity status of the participants, and the Bristol Stool Scale was used to determine stool types. The Bristol Stool Scale was created based on the idea that stool type indicates intestinal transport time. Body weight, height, waist, and hip circumferences of the participants were measured by the researcher. After the measurements, the waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio and body mass index were also calculated.
Results: Among 1479 participants with a mean age of 37.72 ± 11.51 years, 81.3% had normal, 11.3% hard, and 7.4% soft stools. The rate of obesity according to hard, normal, and soft stools was 28.75%, 28.15%, and 34.85%, respectively. The group with hard stools had significantly higher total energy (kcal/day) and dietary fat (g/day) intake than the groups with normal and soft stools (p<.05). There were no significant differences between IPAQ classifications and stool types. Logistic regression analysis showed that waist-to-height ratio (OR: 17.1, 95% CI: 2.46-118.92) increased the likelihood of soft stools by 17.1 times and protein intake (OR: .98, 95% CI: .96-.996) reduced the likelihood of soft stools by a factor of .979 (p<.05).
Conclusion: There were no significant differences between IPAQ classifications and stool types. Normal stool type is common among adult women in Turkey. Physical activity levels do not affect the type of stools.

Keywords

fiber intake , obesity , physical activity , stool type

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