Smartphone users spent significantly more time on the toilet and had an increased risk for hemorrhoids compared to  nonusers, according to results of a recent survey. Those already at risk of hemorrhoids may want to heed the findings, although the study was small and observational, so can't prove cause and effect.

Participants completed survey questions regarding their smartphone habits while using the toilet; any functional gastrointestinal problems and behaviors such as straining; fiber intake; and levels of physical activity.

Among the 125 participants, 43% had hemorrhoids visualized on colonoscopy.

Overall, 66% of respondents used smartphones while on the toilet; most (93%) of those used a smartphone on the toilet at least one to two times per week or more, and more than half (55.4%) used it most of the time.

Smartphone use on the toilet was associated with a 46% increased risk for hemorrhoids after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, exercise activity, and fiber intake.

Participants who used smartphones on the toilet spent significantly more time there than those who did not; 37.3% of them spent more than six minutes per visit on the toilet compared with 7.1% of nonusers, and 35% said they believed they spent more time on the toilet because of their smartphone use.

The most common activity performed while on the toilet was reading “news” (54.3%), followed by “social media” (44.4%), and email/texting (30.5%).

The study was abstract 44, presented at the Digestive Diseases Week (DDW) 2025 conference.