Why does my tummy go growl when I'm hungry?
For grown-ups: the science
It's the sound of air and liquid jiggling around inside your moving tummy.
Tummy rumbles, called bowel sounds, happen when the stomach and intestines squeeze to move food, liquid, and gas. When you're hungry, a cleaning-like wave of muscle movement happens too, and with less food inside to muffle it, the sound echoes and seems louder. It happens after eating too, not just when hungry, so it's just a normal part of digestion.
What about...?
Ask your child's own questionTranscript
When your tummy feels empty, why does it go growl growl? Let's find out!
Inside your belly, there's a stretchy bag that squishes food around. That's your stomach, part of your tummy.
When food runs low, your stomach and intestines move to get ready for the next meal. Air bubbles and liquid inside jiggle and make a sound.
When it's almost empty, sounds echo more inside. That's why it can go growl, nice and loud!
When your stomach and intestines move, the air and liquid inside jiggle around. That jiggling makes the growl sound!
