A STUDY led by Chethan Ramprasad found that people who use smartphones while sitting on the toilet may face a higher risk of haemorrhoids.
The findings were published in the open-access journal
PLOS One based on research involving 125 adults undergoing screening colonoscopies.
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Participants completed an online survey on lifestyle habits and typical behaviour while using the toilet before endoscopists examined them for signs of haemorrhoids.
About two-thirds of participants reported using smartphones while on the toilet and, after adjusting for factors such as age, exercise habits and fibre intake, researchers found these users had a 46 per cent higher risk of haemorrhoids than non-users.
The study also found smartphone users tended to remain seated longer, with 37 per cent saying they spent more than five minutes during a visit compared with 7.1 per cent among those who did not use phones.
