#Digitalhabits

A provocative new study published in a respected medical journal has found that using smartphones while sitting on the toilet is associated with a notably higher risk of hemorrhoids. Based on 125 adults undergoing routine colonoscopy, the research reports that those who used their phones during toilet trips were about 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids, compared with those who did not. The lead observation is stark: a growing habit of scrolling, streaming, and reading in the bathroom may carry more health consequences than many people realize. A growing trend is the use of smartphones while sitting on the toilet to read news, to engage in social media, or simply to pass the time, the study notes, and this increasingly common behavior could have significant health implications, most of which have not been adequately studied. The work was published in a peer‑reviewed journal, highlighting a potential public health message that many Thai households would recognize in daily life.

A growing number of Thais, especially in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, eat with screens within reach. Lunch breaks may feature a Korean drama, dinners drift with TikTok, or a quick YouTube clip between bites of tom yum. This trend—often called screen-time dining—warrants thoughtful coverage for its impact on health, culture, and daily life.

In Thailand, smartphones, affordable internet, and popular apps have reshaped meals as social and personal rituals. Data indicate high device use among young urban professionals, highlighting a broader shift toward constant connectivity. Understanding why people snack with screens helps foster healthier, more mindful eating rather than labeling the behavior as pure addiction.

Many Thais — especially in the rush of urban life, from Bangkok’s crowded condos to Chiang Mai’s hip cafés — have become fond of a particular modern routine: eating every meal with a screen in view. Whether it’s catching up on a K-drama over lunch, scrolling through TikTok with pad kra pao, or squeezing in a YouTube video between bites of tom yum goong, more and more people are combining food and digital media. But what does this say about our personalities and well-being? Recent research, highlighted in a feature from VegOut magazine, points to seven distinct personality traits common among people who can’t seem to eat without watching something, offering valuable insight for Thai readers navigating today’s always-connected lifestyle (VegOut).