Even Small Weight Gain Poses Risk of GERD

GERD is a nasty disease characterized by heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea possibly leading to ulcers, strictures, Barrett’s esophagus, cough and asthma and other complications. It occurs when the sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus doesn’t close properly and when, in return, the contents in the stomach, together with stomach acid return into the esophagus, leading to erosion of the esophagus and devastating symptoms mentioned above.
Those who have felt it wouldn’t want to feel it again and according to new studies there just might be a way to avoid it.
Researchers established a relationship between GERD and body-mass index. This doesn’t necessarily mean that only over-weight and obese people are at risk of experiencing GERD but also those who have normal weight but gained some in the last couple of months or years.

Researchers conducted a survey in which 10,545 women took part. Twenty two percent of the women reported having symptoms at least once a week while fifty five percent of those who felt any symptoms reported having moderate to severe symptoms.

A BMI of more than 25 is considered overweight. Those women who had BMI of 22.5 to 24.9 had a 38 percent higher risk of GERD symptoms than those with BMIs of 20 to 22.4. Those women who had normal BMI’s but gained weight in the process (more than 3.5 in their BMI) had an increased risk of GERD symptoms.

Keeping healthy weight doesn’t protect you only from GERD but from a range of other problems such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.