Here’s why eating on the loo is not a good idea

1 in 6 usually eat snacks on the toilet

There are habits that can make you feel very comfortable and relaxed but are not good for your health, especially when you are not at home. That’s the case when using mobile phones on the toilet or worse eating while sitting on it.

New research found that people eat anywhere including in the toilet with people admitting to having eaten a snack sitting on the bowl. According to a recent poll of 2,000 adults launched by Peperami, it was found that the bathroom is quite popular as a place to have a snack in.

While more than 20% acknowledged nibbling in the bath, one in every six admitted to eating a snack while sitting on the toilet.

Although it may seem comfortable or relaxing for some, this behavior can lead to pretty serious consequences for health.

First off, the restroom is a breeding ground for bacteria that can easily be transmitted to your snack, especially in a public restroom.

“Every time that we flush the toilet, we create a cloud of microdroplets (called bioaerosol)”, Dr. Georgios Efthimiou, a microbiology lecturer at Hull University, explains.

These microdroplets from the toilet, according to Dr. Efthimiou, can include bacteria and viruses, which can then spread through the air and land on your food that, if ingested, may lead to a pretty serious bout of food poisoning.

“Toilet areas are full of germs that could make you sick; which could be anything from E.coli and salmonella to norovirus (though the full list is endless!)”, explains Jenna Brown, environmental health officer and founder of the Food Safety Mum.

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Brown claims that there are many touchpoints in a toilet, including the door handle, flush, lock, toilet roll holder, tap… and the toilet itself! All of which may be infected with other people’s germs.

“So before you’ve even sat down, these germs will already be on your hands”, she explains. “If you’re snacking on the toilet, these germs can then go straight from your hands, to your food, and into your mouth!”

Hands are the most common way for germs to spread, which is why washing your hands after using the restroom is so vital, but they aren’t the only ones.

“When you flush, spray could travel up to six feet, so next time you might just want to leave your snack in the next room, and make sure your toothbrush isn’t too close to the toilet either”.

However, it’s not just germs that you should be concerned about when having a snack on the toilet because this behavior may encourage you to spend longer time on the toilet, which may have unintended consequences for your private areas. According to specialists, sitting on the toilet for an extended period of time, such as while eating a sandwich, can place undue pressure on the rectum, which can lead to hemorrhoids in some circumstances.

“Ten-minute toilet sessions could give you hemorrhoids by putting extra pressure on the veins that are at risk of bleeding”, explains health and wellbeing expert Stephanie Taylor of StressNoMore.

But there are other risks too.

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“It can be tempting to take your time when you’re going to the toilet, with some people viewing it as a moment of peace and quiet in the day, but this can actually be very damaging to your health in more ways than one”, Taylor adds.

“Firstly, your pelvic health can suffer. Hovering on the loo for too long can weaken the muscles and encourage urine to dribble intermittently, rather than just start and stop. This can eventually cause incontinence or even prolapse, so try to keep the process succinct to avoid long-lasting damage”.

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