‘Obesity, crash diets linked to higher risk of hemorrhoids’

A doctor from 365mc, Korea's largest obesity clinic, said obesity can negatively affect the patient's anal health.

"It's easy to assume that the better a person eats, the smoother their bowel movements will be," said Doctor Kwon Min-sung, the director of 365mc Anyang Pyeongchon Hospital. "However, the more a person eats, the more they strain their digestive system, which also affects the anus."

According to Kwon, the reason why obese people are vulnerable to bad anal health is that the pressure on the anal muscles increases with weight gain.

"The accumulation of excess fat cells contributes to an inflammatory response throughout the body and increases the risk of inflammation in the tissues around the anus," Kwon said. "Relatedly, obesity is also one factor that increases the risk of developing hemorrhoids, which is a condition where the tissue around the anus is swollen or inflamed."

The obesity specialist stressed that in a 2014 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers confirmed that obesity was associated with hemorrhoids.

"While the pathophysiological mechanisms of the association between obesity and hemorrhoids are not clearly understood, it has been suggested that increased intra-abdominal pressure, venous congestion, and chronic inflammation contribute to the development of hemorrhoids in obese individuals," Kwon said. "Both men and women who had a BMI (body mass index) of 25 or more were more likely to have hemorrhoids."

The risk of hemorrhoids is much higher for people that have severe abdominal obesity, Kwon added.

Kwon stressed crash diets can also similarly affect anal health.

"As a person eats less, their digestive system slows down, and their anus becomes weaker, which results in constipation and then hemorrhoids, "he said. "Those that go on hardcore diets need to change their method and eat regularly because nutrient deficiencies caused by overly restrictive eating habits can weaken anal tissue and increase the likelihood of hemorrhoids."

The obesity doctor stressed that to manage these symptoms, obese people need to lose weight, while those that go on crash diets need to change their diet plans to a healthier method.

According to Dr. Kwon, the key is drinking plenty of water and performing light aerobic exercise daily.

"It's also a good idea to include a plate of fiber-rich vegetables with every meal, along with a high-protein diet, as it is important that being well-hydrated helps flush out waste and promotes bowel movements," Kwon said.