Medical Studies
A recent 2010 Japanese study on the Influence of Body Position on Defecation in Humans, taken together with earlier findings, suggest that the greater the hip flexion achieved by squatting the straighter the recto-anal canal will be, and accordingly, less strain will be required for defecation.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1757-5672.2009.00057.x/abstract
A 2003 Israeli study by doctor Dov Sikirov discovered it took ‘squatters’ an average of 51 seconds for a bowel movement while ‘sitters’ took an average of 130 seconds.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/rlu7151837n07562/
Infants instinctively squat
Infants instinctively squat to poop, as does the majority of the world's population. Studies* confirm that the most effective posture for urination and defecation is the squat position. Squatting is as basic to good health as drinking plenty of water, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. Given this knowledge, is it worth letting infants squat over a potty longer? With assistance children can use the step of the Lillipad to gain access to the lowered toilet seat which they can squat on. The step is also useful for children accessing the hand basin.


