A bathroom is a private place, we know that, but we’re not going to lie and pretend there isn’t a part of us that’s curious to know if our habits are like everyone else’s, so when we came across this stat about how many men prefer having a sit-down wee to standing up, we thought it was worth sharing.
For those fortunate to have male genitalia, we have the luxury of not only being able to wee standing up but to even when we do so and, apparently, quite a lot of men prefer to take a seat before they tinkle.
As per a recent YouGov poll pulling people’s peeing data from around the world, there are a lot of blokes that often enjoy a sit-down wee, with some of the 13 countries surveyed more fond of it than others.
According to the stats, it is estimated that 62% of Germans regularly sit down to urinate — 40% of which do so every single time they visit the toilet. Very interesting indeed.
How often do men sit down to pee? British men are among the least likely to do so
Sweden, Denmark, Canada and Australia were all fairly fond of a sit-down wee, with anywhere between 16-50% doing it every time and 14-28% doing so most times. It’s quite a sizable chunk of the male global population when you look at it.
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As for us Brits, however, we were some of the least likely to take a pew while having a p*** — the least common in Europe, actually, with just 24% admitting that they do so either sometimes or always.
There was also a significant age element that factored into the research too, with the numbers obviously fluctuating from country to country.
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For instance, while a total of 76% of over 55s in Germany made up the bulk of routine or at least regular sit-down urinaters, the majority (405) of Britain’s over 55s said they simply never have a sit-down wee.
In fact, in total, the UK was the nation where those most people said they’re never even tempted to sit down for one. However, if some of the latest research is to be believed, perhaps they should…
Yes, that’s right, some people believe that the reason some men prefer a sit-down wee is because it’s actually somewhat beneficial for you (and no, not just because you don’t have to worry about your aim).
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Associate Clinical Professor at the UCLA Department of Urology, Dr Jesse N. Mills, told Thrillist back in 2016 that “sitting down is a better option for men with prostate conditions or men who just can’t stand up for a long time” and actually helps empty your bladder.
“A lot of guys sit to pee if they can’t fully evacuate their bladder. When you sit down, you can use your abdominal muscles more, and you get your last few squirts out and feel like you’ve emptied better.”
Groundbreaking endometriosis tests could help catch diagnosis ‘years earlier’
Danny Jones
In some major public health news, two pioneering and crucially faster tests for endometriosis, which are set to be rolled out across Great Britain soon, could be about to reduce the time taken to diagnose the condition by several years.
That’s according to the National Institute for Healthand Care Excellence (NICE), who have issued an update revealing that the fresh testing technology could significantly speed up the process that can currently take the best part of a decade or even more.
In some cases, it can take upwards of 11 years to fully identify endometriosis, especially within certain ethnically diverse communities, but now the executive non-departmental public body has given the green light for the NHS to introduce the pair of expeditious testing methods here in the UK.
Announced on Tuesday, 7 July, the dual approach – one half of which is already being used domestically as part of a pilot study – won’t serve as a standalone diagnostic system in itself, but should help drastically reduce the time between suspected symptoms, confirmation and treatment.
In the UK, average diagnosis takes over 9 years.
Endosure and Endotest can now be used in the NHS while more evidence is gathered.
Emma Cox, chief executive of Endometriosis UK, said in a public statement: “Availability of these new tests needs to go hand-in-hand with education of GPs and practice nurses to ensure prompt access to those that need them, and an end to pain and symptoms not being recognised.”
The two prongs of this new approach revolve around the already in-trialEndotest®, currently being manufactured by French biotech company Ziwig.
Essentially a straightforward saliva test, it’s been recommended for wider use over some time now.
Meanwhile, the second step is ‘EndoSure’: a non-invasive test that uses “topical electrode pads similar to those used in an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the myoelectric activity of the smooth muscle of the GI tract”, with sensors placed on the stomach area.
You can see an instructional video explaining more information about the former down below.
Put in the simplest terms, in tandem, they could save one in 10 women lots of time and pain.
Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, healthtech programme director at NICE, went on to add: “A diagnosis of endometriosis can for some women take the best part of a decade […] That delay means living with chronic pelvic pain that affects daily life, relationships and work.
“These technologies have the potential to change that by giving primary care professionals better non-invasive tools to identify endometriosis earlier, allowing earlier and better treatment.
“Our draft guidance reflects our commitment to getting promising innovations to patients quickly, while making sure the evidence to support their wider use is built in a rigorous way.”
While both are still pending full approval and eventual scaling across the country, here’s hoping it can make the difference in the lives of millions of British women and beyond.
Trafford drugs ring sentenced to over a quarter of a century behind bars
Danny Jones
A local drug ring has been hit hard this month after four members of an organised crime group were sentenced to a combined quarter of a century in prison.
The quartet of criminals have been slapped with roughly 25 years following a series of arrests over the 18 months or so, with the first being made back in August 2024.
Stopfordian resident Calvin Cousins was taken into custody, charged and ultimately convicted of conspiracy to supply class B and class A, receiving a seven-year sentence – but his isn’t even the longest stint behind bars handed down by Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last week.
Following a conclusive hearing on Friday, 3 July, Germane Tarrant from Salford was also convicted of conspiracy to supply class B and class A drugs, for which he received nine years and 10 months.
Meanwhile, fellow Salfordian Letitia Sandys was convicted of participating in the activities involving organised crime by providing legitimacy to drug supply activity, collecting drugs from conspirators, and assisting with anti-surveillance measures, as well as disposal of said drugs and paraphernalia.
Fourth and finally, Nicholas Griffin of Clifford Avenue was also convicted of conspiracy to supply class B and conspiracy to supply class A after a two-week trial this past January.
The pair were given 27 months and six and a half years, respectively.
As per a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) press release, this recent result is a product of the Trafford Challenger unit’s exhaustive investigation across the Sale, Altrincham and Timperley area between August ’24 and this past July.
Cousins, in particular, was arrested twice during that period, with phone analysis and surveillance tactics ultimately ending in over £25,000’s worth of cannabis and cocaine being recovered among other contraband.
This latest progress made by GMP comes amid a series of successes within various boroughs like Trafford, Salford, Stockport and more, with local authorities continuing to crack down on criminal organisations of various sizes.
The SK Challenger Team are doing important work, too.
GMP Detective Sergeant Samuel Barr, from the Trafford Challenger team, said: “The presence of organised crime groups (OCGs) in our communities undermines public safety and trust.
“We are committed to disrupting and dismantling OCGs to protect our communities and keep people safe from the harms associated with organised crime.
“I hope today sends a clear message that we will not tolerate organised crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people by those criminals. We will not stop until we have brought them to justice.
“If you’re concerned about criminal activity in your area, please reach out to us; we rely on information from the public to assist with our enquiries.”
As always, they are urging those with information they feel may be pertinent to file a report with the police on 101, via the LiveChat function on the GMP website, or by contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Danny Jones -
25th May 2023 
