PEOPLE in Yorkshire are not looking after their guts, a survey suggests.
Digestive illnesses, including colon cancer and liver disease, account for one in eight deaths in Yorkshire.
But the survey showed that only 1% of people asked were worried about their insides.
The results have led the Digestive Disorders Foundation to launch Gut Week.
A spokeswoman said people should not ignore potentially embarrassing illnesses until it was too late.
She added: "Conditions of the digestive tract are one of the biggest causes of death.
"But because of taboos, ignorance and embarrassment, many people are left isolated and suffering in silence from illnesses that could be treated."
During Gut Week, which runs from next Monday until Sunday, people who have a problem or are worried can call a special nurse for advice.
A spokesman for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Network, said: "Don't be afraid to discuss your gut. See your doctor if you think you have a digestive problem.
"Early detection will normally mean a cure. If bowel cancer is detected early enough it is usually treatable."
Nurses can be phoned on 0208 743 4287 until August 1.
