Five-city survey finds hemorrhoids, bad livers common

Women in the capital have issues with their behinds and breasts, while for men it is fatty livers, according to a health report released on Wednesday.

The report is based on a survey by Ciming Checkup, the Chinese Medical Doctors' Association and two other health organizations that was conducted in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chongqing. It started in Feb 2010 and lasted for four months.

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In Beijing, 645,887 citizens took part in the survey, which found that nearly 15 percent of women in the city have hemorrhoids, which is the second most common health issue after hyperplasia of the mammary glands.

In Beijing, the proportion of women aged 20 to 29 diagnosed with hemorrhoids is 7 percentage points higher than that among men.

An Ayue, director of proctology at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, said that pregnancy, bad lifestyles and poor diet can cause hemorrhoids, but that in most cases constipation, diarrhea and squatting for too long are the cause.

"Humans have evolved from animals that didn't walk upright. Our rectum has no venous return system and it is easily damaged by our lifestyles," he said. "Staying on the toilet for more than three minutes is of no benefit to your rectum."

To prevent hemorrhoids, it is important to defecate regularly, while exercises help the blood flow well in the rectum, he said.

For Beijing men, fatty livers are a problem for 20 percent of those surveyed, with 60 percent aged between 20 and 40.

Yu Shibei, an expert in chronic disease prevention, said that unhealthy diets and too much alcohol are the two main causes of fatty liver. "Eating too much meat and fat puts a heavy burden on your liver," he said. "In big cities, alcohol is a traditional part of people's social lives, but it is actually bad for your health. Too little exercise can also cause liver problems."

The survey also revealed people's attitudes toward health checkups. Among more than 1 million interviewees in the five cities, less than 10 percent of families have healthcare records and less than half of them go to see doctors if they feel uncomfortable. More than 25 percent prefer to turn to family members, friends or search for information on the Internet if they have any health concerns.

However, Han Xiaohong, general director of Ciming Checkup, cautioned against following advice found online. "The information might not precisely fit your case, and it might worsen your condition if you get the wrong information," she said.

Regular body checkups will not only help diagnose a disease at an early stage, but also help prevent them from becoming worse, she added.