Nevadans are 2nd-most-bloated people in the US, study finds

You’re gassy, Nevada. Or distended. Or backed up. You’re hoping for a belch. And praying this, too, shall pass (gas).

Indulging in holiday food and drink is in full excess this month. But what tastes rich, sweet, savory, bubbly and boozy going down often returns to plague your gut, upend your bowels. And the Silver State sometimes has it worse than almost everyone else in the U.S., according to a new study.

Biohm, a leading maker of products to promote gut health, collected responses to its gut issues quiz from more than 35,000 people nationwide. Trends that emerged from the data include geographic differences in the numbers of people experiencing constipation, gas, bloating and other gastrointestinal disruption.

Vermont leads the bloat, with 73 percent of residents reporting symptoms that typically range from unusual fullness to stomach pain or rumbling to frequent flatulence. Arizona and Nevada are only a bit of bloat behind at 71 percent each. (Correlation invites thoughts of causation: Are contentious Senate races bad for your gut?)

Nevadans are significantly less constipated (45 percent reporting symptoms) and less gassy (42 percent reporting) than bloated, the study found, but that’s cold statistical comfort when all you want for Christmas is a bowel movement or a break from passing wind.

“Beyond the pure curiosity aspect of this data share, it is important to highlight the many layers and nuance that can go into a balanced microbiome — even geography,” Biohm president Sam Schatz said. “The propensity of these symptoms is also worthy of awareness to normalize the conversation around gut health and gain more national attention on how our environments — social, physical, and cultural — could play a role.”

The Biohm gut quiz draws on microbiome data and clinical data (diet, exercise, lifestyle) to offer quiz takers insights on their gut health. In fact, Biohm possesses “one of the largest microbiome data sets in the world that sequences both bacteria and fungi in submitted stool samples,” the company said in a statement.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ItsJLW on Twitter.