When did you last go to the toilet? Not for a wee (we can assume that was recently, given we’re all downing water to deal with the heatwave). We mean when did you last properly poo?

If you are one of the 20% of women who suffers from constipation, it may have been a while ago. Clinical constipation means going less than three times in a week, and according to a paper from 2020, women are nearly twice as likely as men to experience the condition.

That’s a reality dietitian Sophie Medlin regularly sees in her clinic. “Although I still see plenty of men with constipation, because it is a very common problem, I do see a lot more women with the problem,” she says.

Constipation is the gut health issue that’s impacting twice as many women as men