News Australian scientists develop app to analyze flatulence

A new app in Australia aims to help research flatulence habits. The CSIRO hopes to use it to gain a better understanding of the frequency and characteristics of intestinal winds.

Leading Australian science organization CSIRO has launched an innovative app called "Chart Your Fart". This application aims to document and analyze the flatulence habits of Australians. A 2021 study had shown that 60 percent of the population suffers from excessive flatulence, with 43 percent experiencing it on a regular basis. These findings led to the question: What is a "normal" number of farts per day?

The app was developed to better understand the patterns of flatulence and promote research into health and wellbeing. CSIRO is looking for participants aged 14 and over who are willing to provide data on their flatulence over a three-day period, including a weekend day.

To lighten up what is often seen as an embarrassing topic, the CSIRO emphasizes with a wink: "We all fart! Some more than others, some louder, some with more odor and some are just funnier!"

A natural phenomenon

The app allows users to record the frequency of their farts as well as their characteristics such as smell, volume, duration and time spent in the air. This data will help scientists to create a profile of a "normal" fart in different age groups.

According to CSIRO expert Megan Rebuli, farts are a natural phenomenon and a sign of a well-functioning digestive system. They are caused by the expulsion of excess gas produced during the digestion of food. Various factors such as diet, illness or the way we chew and swallow can influence the processing of the gas, affecting the smell, frequency and volume.

SDA