CINCINNATI—Americans’ daily lives are affected by digestive problems, and even these upsets can even shake self-confidence, according to a recent GfK Roper survey, sponsored by Align®. Survey results revealed that approximately one in four survey participants experience occasional digestive upsets and of those, one in five have been told that these disruptive upsets are caused by their attitude or emotions.
The "Your Digestive System and How It Works," survey findings also showed that these upsets can interrupt daily life. Of those who experience occasional digestive upsets: More than half feel their upsets impact their self-confidence; eight in 10 try to go about their day normally , but most still make adjustments to their activities; nearly half have missed an event, a trip, or avoided a social situation because of an occasional digestive upset; more than one-third will change their diet to deal with their digestive upsets; and compared to those who do not experience occasional digestive upsets, those who do are more likely to avoid holiday parties or avoid traditional holiday foods.
While most suffer from digestive woes, the survey found most believe misconceptions about the role probiotics play in gut health. Forty-three percent of those surveyed believe most types of bacteria are not helpful for the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. More than 40 percent of those surveyed believe all probiotics have essentially the same benefits, and a large majority (77 percent) of those surveyed think that probiotics found in supplements are not as natural as those found in foods.
The GfK Roper "Your Digestive System and How It Works" Survey, sponsored by Align, was conducted online in April 2010. In total, 1,002 interviews were completed, 254 of which were among those who experience occasional digestive upsets. The sampling frame was an online panel provided by GfK. The data was weighted to reflect the key gender, age and region distribution of the U.S. online population.
"I see the frustration occasional digestive upsets cause my patients," said Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Medical Center. "The first step to building a stronger inside is to better understand how your digestive system works and what you can do to keep it healthy."
In a press release, Align noted the digestive system is made up of a series of organs that help the body break down and absorb food so the body can build and nourish cells and provide energy. It is also home to trillions of bacteria, both good and bad. When this delicate balance of bacteria is disrupted by factors such as diet, stress, or travel, occasional digestive upsets can occur.
"To help improve both health and lifestyle, I teach my patients that it comes down to simple science – it is important to have the right balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. When we replenish the good bacteria with probiotics it helps maintain a healthy digestive system," said Rajapaksa.
Dr. Rajapaksa often recommends the daily probiotic supplement Align to help restore a natural digestive balance and protect against occasional digestive upsets. Align contains the Bifantis® (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624), a natural, patented probiotic strain.