Steatorrhea is the presence of fat in the stool, which is usually caused by excessive consumption of high-fat foods, such as frying, cold cuts and even avocado, for example.
However, the presence of fat in the stool, especially in the baby, can also occur when there is a disease that prevents the body from properly absorbing food, such as:
- In addition.
- In adults situations such as removal of the small intestine.
- Parts of the stomach or postoperative in case of obesity can also cause malabsorption and lead to the appearance of steatorrhea.
For example, if whitish spots appear on oily-looking stools or if stools become whitish or orange, or if the stool test shows changes, it is recommended to consult a family doctor or gastroenterologist for further tests, such as colonoscopy or intolerance.to identify the specific cause and initiate appropriate treatment.
Stool fat symptoms generally appear to be associated with bulky, smelly, oily-looking stools floating in the water; However, symptoms may also include:
When a person has some of these symptoms, they should seek the advice of a gastroenterologist to diagnose the cause of excess fat in the stool and initiate appropriate treatment.If there are yellow stools, see the root causes here.
For the baby, it’s also common to have difficulty gaining weight and bowel movements that look very pasty or even diarrhea.
The stool fat test evaluates the amount of fat in the stool from food consumed, bile, intestinal secretion, and peeled cells.For example, to pass the stool fat test, you must eat high-fat foods up to 3 days before the test and, on the same day a sample should be taken at home, the sample must be placed in the vial provided by the laboratory and stored in the refrigerator until transport to the laboratory.
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To eliminate excess fat in the stool, which is identified in the stool test when the amount of fat is greater than 6%, it is recommended to reduce fat intake in the diet and, therefore, it is very important to avoid including foods in the diet with bad fats such as red meats, yellow cheese or bacon.
However, when it is not possible to treat steatorrhea only with dietary changes, it is advisable to consult a gastroenterologist for diagnostic tests, such as a colonoscopy or stool test, to help identify if there are any conditions that may cause fat to appear.In these cases, the type of treatment varies depending on the problem identified and may include the use of medications or surgery, for example.