Most of us have had to battle the bloat at some time or another. It’s uncomfortable and embarrassing, especially when you look five months pregnant, but you definitely are not carrying another human being…just lots of excess tummy gas.

According to the results of a new study by Danone, women are going to great lengths to hide their bloated tummies. Over half of all Aussie women (58%) have emergency loose-fitting clothing in their wardrobe to cover up bloating. No wonder kaftans and billowy dresses are so popular.

Gut health and probiotics is a hot topic conversation but despite this, women are still suffering. They know what to do, but think it will just go away or are still resorting to over the counter pills rather than food.

Wrong Food Choices

Busy mothers are often not making the right food choices for themselves, eating on the run and choosing food that is quick and convenient. By constantly putting others first, their gut health is suffering the consequences. It’s time for parents to put themselves first and beat the bloat!

Some interesting stats that came out of the research include:

• The struggle is real for the modern-day Aussie women surveyed, with an astonishing 90 per cent admitting they have regular episodes of the dreaded ‘DD’ (digestive discomfort). Over half (58 per cent) of women said the number one symptom of digestive discomfort they experience is bloating. Other annoying symptoms include pain, burning, gas and embarrassing gut gurgles.
• These stomach woes are impacting women’s work and social lives too. Over a third (35 per cent) say they make excuses to leave important meetings to avoid gut grumble shame. One in three (34 per cent) women admit they have bailed on friends or family due to their tummy troubles, and one in six (16 per cent) have had to cancel a hot date.
• It’s a serious issue and one that is – literally – hard to stomach for Aussie women, with nearly half (45 per cent) saying they have reduced or removed certain food groups entirely from their diet to beat the bloat. A further 36 per cent resort to over-the-counter pills, potions and supplements looking for a magic cure.

Activia Can Help

To help women manage their digestion and live with confidence, Danone has developed Activia, a probiotic yogurt that can help improve digestive comfort and tame your tummy. Activia is truly unique in that it features the exclusive probiotic strain, Bifidus ActiRegularis that survives through the stomach to target the source of discomfort.

Each pot packs a punch with 4.4 billion live probiotics to help restore one of the most important relationships in a woman’s life – the one she has with her body. The uniquely-formulated probiotic yogurt has now been reformulated with no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners for even greater health benefits and is available in five flavours: Vanilla, Strawberry, Mango, Berries, and Seeds & Grains.

Available now at Coles, Woolworths and IGA. RRP $4.40 for 4x125g.