There's now an app for that
By Sanjukta
Mondal, Medical Xpress
Edited by Sadie Harley,
reviewed by Robert
Egan
 |
| In his case, constantly |
It is, however, an essential
bodily function that allows the digestive system to keep pressure within the
intestinal tract low and prevents painful stretching of the stomach and
intestines. Even though it is normal to fart, it remains unclear what counts as
a healthy number.
A study by researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation wanted to measure how many times people
pass gas in a day. So they designed a mobile phone application, Chart Your
Fart, that allowed more than 6,400 Australians to log their farting patterns in
real time.
They found that most people, on average, passed gas five
times a day, with men doing it more often than women. Flatulence patterns were
not the same throughout the day.
They observed a gradual increase that typically peaked
between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., coinciding with the time when people generally
consume the most calories and fiber.
The findings are published in JAMA Network Open.
Tracking the passing of gas
Flatulence activity and dietary energy and fiber intake.
Credit: JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI:
10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.15637
The swallowed air is harmless and odorless, but the
byproduct of the bacterial breakdown of food contains sulfurous compounds that
are responsible for the notorious smell associated with flatulence.
Some food groups, such as fiber, can often lead to more
frequent passing of gas, and so can gastrointestinal problems such as irritable
bowel syndrome, or IBS. While too much can be an issue, too little is actually
the bigger concern. A sudden inability to pass gas, especially alongside
stomach pain or bloating, can signal a blockage or other serious gut problem
that needs medical attention.
Researchers have not yet been able to clearly define what
counts as excessive, too little or normal passing of gas. Without solid data on
how often healthy people actually pass gas in daily life, it is difficult to
know what is healthy and what is a potential digestive problem. Past studies
usually looked at small groups of people or focused only on those with stomach
problems.
In this study, researchers used a custom app called Chart
Your Fart, available on both Android and iOS, to track normal gas-passing
habits. Participants had to be older than 14 and free from any recent major
dietary changes. Once signed up, they were asked to log every instance of
passing gas for at least three days.
Nearly 80% of participants fell within a range of two to
seven times daily. The youngest group, ages 14 to 25, reported passing gas less
often than all other age groups, while men averaged 5.2 times per day compared
with 4.8 times for women. The number of recordings remained low during midday
and began to rise after 6 p.m., when people are more likely to start eating
their highest-calorie meals.
The researchers highlight that this study might be one of
the first to describe real-time flatulence habits in a large, general
population. Establishing what is normal for flatulence can not only provide a
helpful starting point for discussions about symptoms at both ends of the
spectrum, but also help monitor gut health and change social attitudes toward
flatulence.
Written for you by our author Sanjukta
Mondal, edited by Sadie
Harley, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert
Egan—this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers
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Publication details
Emily Brindal et al, Regular Flatulence Patterns Among
Community-Dwelling Individuals in Australia, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI:
10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.15637
Journal information: JAMA Network Open