What causes a change in bowel habit?

Possible causes of a change in bowel habit include:

• Dietary intake: for example, excessive or inadequate fibre intake, intake of milk products, inadequate fluid intake
  
• Lack of exercise or physical activity
  
• Changes in lifestyle: for example, pregnancy, travel, change of job
  
• Medications: for example, painkillers, cough medications, antibiotics
• Infection: for example, gastroenteritis
• Neurological problems: for example, stroke, diabetes, parkinson’s disease
• Colorectal diseases: for example, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease
• Previous surgery: for example, previous colon resection, removal of gallbladder
• Irritable bowel syndrome