Is Obesity Related To Acid Reflux Disease?
Almost 20 percent of Americans suffer from recurring heartburn called Gastroesophageal Reflux disease, or Gerd. Gerd symptoms interfere with eating, sleeping, and daily living, and Gerd puts people at risk for complication and certain cancers including cancer of the esophagus.
There are a growing number of Americans who have Gastroesophogeal Reflux disease, also known as Gerd, which is defined as severe heartburn two or more times a week.
Dr. Hashem B. El-Serag an MPH Associate Professor of Medicine at Baylor College and Michael E. DeBakey of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center believe that obesity raises the risk of refluxing more acid from the stomach into the esophagus and the possibility of cancer associated with Gerd.
According to Dr. El-Serag reflux disease can be treated with the over-the-counter antacids and stronger prescription medications. But the best and simplest way to combat Gerd is to maintain a health weight.
The researchers analyzed nine studies done from 1966 to 2004. Six studies showed a notable link between obesity and GERD.
“The association between BMI and GERD complications was markedly consistent,” write the researchers. None of the studies showed any GERD benefits from obesity, and the studies that didn’t strongly link obesity and GERD tilted in that direction, they write.
In eight of the nine studies, as BMI (body mass index — a measure of body fat ) rose, so did GERD symptoms, write the researchers, who set quality standards for the studies they reviewed.
What’s the Connection?
How does obesity make GERD more likely? The researchers aren’t sure.
They mention a few theories, including excess body fat compressing the stomach, the effects of food (especially fatty foods), and hernias. But they didn’t find evidence that settled the matter.
The GERD-obesity link should get more research, write Hampel and colleagues.
Meanwhile, they offer this advice: “It is prudent to counsel all overweight patients who present with GERD-related diseases that weight loss may help improve symptoms.”
( Sources: Hampel, H. Annals of Internal Medicine, Aug. 2, 2005; vol 143: pp 199-211. WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: “Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) — Topic Overview.” News release, American College of Physicians.)