# On Average, How Many Toilet Visits Involve A Number Two? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 24, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729 "2015-08-24T14:40:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/1 "2015-08-24T14:40:30Z")
Imagine a toilet in a home with two healthy adults (a male and a female), and two healthy children (say, nine and six years old). Out of x number of visits to that toilet over a period of time, how many will be just a #1 and how many will be a #2 (or a #1 and a #2)? Or to put this in other words, the average urination:defecation ratio for a human is \_\_\_\_\_? ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/2 "2015-08-24T15:03:27Z")
I’ve read the average is between 1 bowel movement every 2-3 days up to 2-3 bowel movements a day. Personally I couldn’t imagine only shitting once every couple days though, that seems odd. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/3 "2015-08-24T15:08:23Z")
The average will be off if you don’t count #3, #4, #5, and #6 also. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/4 "2015-08-24T15:12:02Z")
It varies greatly depending on your diet and exercise regime etc. I think for most people once a day or once every two days is typical, but 2 or 3 times a day may be normal for a particular individual. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/5 "2015-08-24T16:47:31Z")
To actually answer the OP’s question, I’m gonna WAG it at 5:1 for men and 8:1 for women. I don’t think kids vs. adults would matter. My personal experience is my cite. I leave the serious research to others. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/6 "2015-08-24T16:51:13Z")
Figure on about 7 number ones for every number 2 unless you’re in India. One study found that healthy men urinate a median of 6 times during the day and 0.5 times at night. Cite: [Age and volume dependent normal frequency volume charts for healthy males - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19447412) Another study found that healthy men urinate a median of 7 times per 24 hours. Cite: [Voiding frequency in a sample of asymptomatic American men - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15311017) Healthy women urinate a median of 7 or 8 times per 24 hours. Cite: [Variability of 24-hour voiding diary variables among asymptomatic women - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12478137) British men and women in answering a questionnaire claimed a median bowel movement frequency of 7 times per week or once a day. The same participants were asked to keep a journal of their bowel movements. The journal data were found to confirm that median frequency is indeed just about once per day. Cite: [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1379343/pdf/gut00573-0122.pdf](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1379343/pdf/gut00573-0122.pdf) A study in Eastern India of men and women found median bowel movement frequency of 14 per week or twice per day. Cite: [Defecation frequency and stool form in a coastal eastern Indian population - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23875105) One bowel movement per day is average in Italian adults. Cite: [http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Filippo\_Pucciani/publication/8681744\_An\_extended\_assessment\_of\_bowel\_habits\_in\_a\_general\_population/links/0fcfd510134bea37b3000000.pdf](http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Filippo_Pucciani/publication/8681744_An_extended_assessment_of_bowel_habits_in_a_general_population/links/0fcfd510134bea37b3000000.pdf) One bowel movement per day is the median in preschool age children. Cite [http://adc.bmj.com/content/59/7/649.full.pdf](http://adc.bmj.com/content/59/7/649.full.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/7 "2015-08-24T18:11:03Z")
This may tie in with the design of modern low-water-usage toilets. Many people have complained about low-flush toilets not doing a complete water change, and often needing two flushes after a #2. (This was more so in the earlier days of low-flush toilets. Design have apparently improved more recently.) Dave Berry did an article on low-flush toilets some years back, which raised such a massive popular response that he did at least two follow-up articles on it. **Cecil Himself** discussed the question [here](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2754/do-low-flush-toilets-actually-save-water). TL;DR: People pee a lot more often than they poop. So, a toilet designed to need just one flush after a pee but two flushes after a poop may be the optimal design for water conservation. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/8 "2015-08-24T18:18:50Z")
Living in the country now, “P” & “Poop” together is my ratio for the toilet. So, a one to one ratio. I do “P” more than that but I waste no water with the toilet doing it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-average-how-many-toilet-visits-involve-a-number-two/728729/9 "2015-08-25T09:27:37Z")
What day of the week is it and do both parents work