How common is fecal incontinence?

According to a recent study, nearly one in five women over the age of 40 reported an episode of accidental bowel leakage (ABL), also known as fecal incontinence; that’s 15 million American women. Other published studies report that ABL affects men at similar levels as women. All together, research indicates that tens of millions of women and men experience ABL. Indeed, one in 10 adults in the U.S. experience ABL symptoms at least monthly.
 

Because people are reluctant to seek help, fecal incontinence (unintended passage of stool) is sometimes perceived as rare. This perception is wrong.

Until recently, experts could only guess at how often this condition affected men and women. But for the first time, national statistics have been collected, at least for women, by the National Center for Health Statistics. A survey of 1,961 women, published in 2008, found that at least 9% of women experience the unintended leakage of stool at least once a month. Although fecal incontinence is more common in older people, it may occur at any age. Fecal incontinence is also associated with urinary incontinence. Even though they may not disclose it readily, many people with urinary incontinence have fecal incontinence as well.