A lot of us are on our phones these days - checking e-mails, Twitter and Facebook - but some of us check it in stranger places than others.

A new survey to mark 'Gut Week' reveals that one in three Irish adults admit to checking their e-mails (33%) or Facebook (30%) while on the loo.

Other activities include making phone calls (19%), checking Twitter (12%) and playing Candy Crush (11%). 

While almost two-fifths of employees (38%) admit to using toilet time as a break from work.

Men appear more likely to use toilet breaks as breaks from work than their female counterparts. While younger age groups are more likely to be found using toilet time as a break from their work than older age groups.

When Irish people were asked what reason they would give if they needed to call in sick to work due to bowel problems, almost half (47%) said they would give food poisoning or vomiting as an excuse.

While less than one in four would admit to having bowel problems.

And seven out of 10 Irish adults have suffered from a chronic or persistent gut health problem - the most common being constipation (37%), diarrhoea (34%) and indigestion (32%).

Of those who suffer from gut health problems, almost two-thirds (63%) have admitted to having bowel problems to their GP.

This was followed by close family members such as partners and parents, while one in five sufferers have not talked to anyone about their bowel problems.

'Gut Week' returns for its 10th year to give advice on how to break the "poo taboo" and love your gut.