ABSTRACT
Stool weight, frequency of defecation and transit time are all indices having a close relation with the quality and quantity of ones diet. The average diet in Iran has significant differences with that of western diet. Therefore, it is assumed that the above-mentioned variables follow specific norms which must be studied more accurately in Iran. A total of 1000 healthy Iranian subjects residing in the region of Shahr-e Kord, central Iran, were selected from the attendants to some urban and rural health centers. After providing the necessary information about the procedure of the study, they were requested to collect a 24- or 48- hour stool specimen in some special covered containers. The beginning and the end of the procedure was timed with carmine and activated charcoal as stool markers. At the end of the period, the collected stool was weighted and other required variables were obtained via questionnaire. The SPSS software, version 7.5, was used for analyzing the data by regression analysis and t-test. The mean daily stool weight of the population under study was estimated to be 349 +/- 131g. On the average, the frequency of defecation was 1.5 times a day and the transit time was estimated to be around 12.5 hours using carmine and activated charcoal as markers. Stool weight had a significant correlation with four variables namely, male gender, higher body weight, higher age and amount of bread consumed in the daily diet. Moreover, increased frequency of defecation had a significant relation with decreased transit time using charcoal, higher body weight and higher daily stool weight. As compared to western communities who usually consume a low fiber and high fat diet, the Iranian population in our study had higher stool weight, higher frequency of defecation and shorter transit time probably due to their unique high fiber and low fat diet