The Bristol Stool Scale

The Bristol Stool Scale is used as a medical aid to help classify Poo. It was developed by Heaton and Lewis at the University of Bristol and was first published in 1997.

The consistency of Poo depends on how long it spends in the colon. Types 1 and 2 can mean you're constipated; whereas types 5, 6 and 7 can mean you have diarrhoea.

The ideal type of Poo are types 3 and 4 as they're easy to pass and are neither too dry or wet.

Hard to Pass

Type 1 Separate hard lumps, like nuts (hard to pass).
Type 2 Sausage-shaped but lumpy.

Ideal Consistency

Type 3 Like a sausage but with cracks.
Type 4 Like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft.

Difficult to control

Type 5 Soft blobs with clear cut edges (passed easily).
Type 6 Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool.
Type 7 Watery, no solid pieces. Entirely liquid.

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