RESEARCH ARTICLE Risk Factors for Hemorrhoids on Screening

Background Constipation, a low fiber diet, sedentary lifestyle and gravidity are commonly assumed to increase the risk of hemorrhoids. However, evidence regarding these factors is limited. We examined the association between commonly cited risk factors and the prevalence of hemorrhoids. Methods We performed a cross sectional study of participants who underwent a colonoscopy in a colorectal adenoma prevention trial and who had a detailed assessment of bowel habits, diet and activity. The presence of hemorrhoids was extracted from the subjects ’ colonos-copy reports. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and 95 % confidence inter-vals while adjusting for age and sex. Results The study included 2,813 participants. Of these, 1,074 had hemorrhoids recorded. Constipa-tion was associated with an increased prevalence of hemorrhoids (OR 1.43, 95 % CI 1.11