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| Britons' toilet pastimes revealed | Britons' toilet pastimes revealed |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Reading, chatting and texting are among the favourite activities of Britons on the toilet, according to a survey. | |
| The study suggests more than 14 million people in the UK read newspapers, books and magazines on the loo. | The study suggests more than 14 million people in the UK read newspapers, books and magazines on the loo. |
| The poll points to eight million people talking - either on the phone or to family - and one in five send texts. | The poll points to eight million people talking - either on the phone or to family - and one in five send texts. |
| The survey of more than 2,000 people was commissioned by charity Tearfund for World Toilet Day, which aims to highlight poor sanitary conditions. | |
| The study also suggested people mostly thought about food while on the toilet, and that men were more likely to look around for a distraction than women. | The study also suggested people mostly thought about food while on the toilet, and that men were more likely to look around for a distraction than women. |
| Poor hygiene | Poor hygiene |
| Mari Williams, Tearfund's water and sanitation policy adviser, said: "It's scandalous that in the 21st Century, more than 2.5 billion people living in the developing world do not have a clean, safe place to go to the toilet, and almost 900 million people do not have access to clean water - something we take for granted in the UK." | Mari Williams, Tearfund's water and sanitation policy adviser, said: "It's scandalous that in the 21st Century, more than 2.5 billion people living in the developing world do not have a clean, safe place to go to the toilet, and almost 900 million people do not have access to clean water - something we take for granted in the UK." |
| Mike Foster, water and sanitation minister at the Department for International Development (DFID), such figures reinforced the need to give people access to sanitation around the world. | Mike Foster, water and sanitation minister at the Department for International Development (DFID), such figures reinforced the need to give people access to sanitation around the world. |
| Last month, the DFID announced an increased effort to build toilets for more than 50 million people in developing countries over the next five years. | Last month, the DFID announced an increased effort to build toilets for more than 50 million people in developing countries over the next five years. |
| Meanwhile, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has warned that poor hygiene is responsible for spreading toilet germs quickly. | Meanwhile, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has warned that poor hygiene is responsible for spreading toilet germs quickly. |
| It says separate research suggests almost half of British adults fail to dry their hands after using a public toilet, and one in six admit that they do not wash their hands every time. | It says separate research suggests almost half of British adults fail to dry their hands after using a public toilet, and one in six admit that they do not wash their hands every time. |
| RSPH chief executive Professor Richard Parish said: "We know hand washing and drying could prevent up to half of all acute respiratory infections in this country and this, in turn, could save up to £80m on annual GP consultations. Hand washing is even more effective at preventing acute gastro-intestinal infections." | RSPH chief executive Professor Richard Parish said: "We know hand washing and drying could prevent up to half of all acute respiratory infections in this country and this, in turn, could save up to £80m on annual GP consultations. Hand washing is even more effective at preventing acute gastro-intestinal infections." |