A disgusting habit that affects almost one in five Australians

“There has been a slight improvement in handwashing during Covid-19, but Australians now appear to be reverting to old habits.”

The survey compared responses from 1,229 Australians aged 18 and over from different economic groups.

They found that women were more likely than men to wash their hands after using the toilet: 83 percent of women and 80 percent of men said they always washed their hands.

Men were also much less likely than women to wash their hands before handling food: 55 percent of men compared to 62 percent of women reported that they consistently washed their hands before handling food.

While people aged under 34 had the worst hygiene habits, older Australians were the cleanest, with 86 per cent of older people surveyed saying they always wash after using the toilet, compared to 69 per cent of those under 34.

While the statistics are concerning, the good news is that the Food Safety Information Council can point us in the right direction. Their advice is to always wash and dry your hands:

• Before working, preparing and eating food.

• After touching raw meat, fish, seafood, shelled eggs or poultry.

• After using the toilet, using the toilet with children (or others) and changing diapers.

• After blowing your nose.

• After touching a pet or cleaning the cat’s litter box.

• After gardening.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION This article is general in nature and intended for reference only as it does not take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. This means that it is not personalized health advice and should not be relied upon as if it were. Before making any health-related decisions, you should determine whether the information is appropriate for your situation and obtain professional medical advice.