Passing gas can be an awkward moment, especially when you are in a public place. However, as a result of not being ready to lose one immediately, people tend to endure the discomfort of avoiding passing gas. Surprisingly this is a situation common among most Americans, according to a recent study.
The average person prevents passing gas 6.5 times a week
The survey of 2,000 Americans found that the average person prevents themselves from passing gas often, and doing so leads to 338 close calls each year which is almost one per day. Most notably, the average person avoids passing gas around 6.5 times weekly. Most incidents happen while travelling or in a dining place.
The survey carried out by OnePoll for Gas X found that gas affects Americans both socially and professionally. For example, around 26% of the respondents said that the worst place to pass gas was during a professional outing or work meeting.
With the advent of virtual meetings, some people have to mute a Zoom meeting to pass the gas. The phrase “you’re on mute” is common during Zoom meetings, and 55% of Americans admit that they have muted a virtual meeting to pass gas at some stage.
Apart from professional life, people are also muting their social lives because of gas symptoms. Around 34% of the respondents admit having cancelled dinner or birthday parties because of the discomfort caused by the symptoms. Although farting is something everybody does, 68% of Americans consider it more embarrassing.
People stifle gas symptoms mostly during summer.
Most people tend to stifle gas symptoms during the summer relative to other times of the year. This is because nearly 70% of the people socialize in the summer and are not ready for others to notice their gas. In addition, around 26% of people pretend it didn’t happen or try to stop it.
Although it might seem embarrassing, it is a healthy and normal digestive system function. However, stifling gas can lead to pain because of increased pressure in the gut.
