Obese older children are at a high risk for developing the painful digestive disease known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Obese older children are at a high risk for developing the painful digestive disease known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
GERD can result in chronic inflammation of the lining of the esophagus and, more rarely, to lasting damage, including ulcers and scarring. It can also cause chronic heartburn, nausea and the potential for respiratory problems such as persistent cough, inflammation of the larynx and asthma.
GERD has already been linked to obesity in adults, but data regarding the association between GERD and obesity in children is scarce and inconclusive. To investigate this link, researchers extracted data of 690 321 American children aged 2 to 19 years who were enrolled in an integrated prepaid health plan between 2007 and 2008. Weight class (normal weight, overweight, moderate and extreme obesity) was assigned to them based on body mass index (BMI)-for-age.
During the follow up, 1.5 percent of boys and 1.8 percent of girls were diagnosed with GERD. It was found that extremely obese children had up to a 40 percent higher risk of GERD, while those who were moderately obese had up to a 30 percent higher risk of developing it, compared with normal weight children. The association between obesity and GERD remained even after taking race and ethnic background into account. It was noted that the finding held true for children aged 6 to 11 years and 12 to 19 years, but not for children aged 2 to 5 years.
The study concluded that there is an association between childhood obesity and GERD and this may have important implications for future risk of GERD-associated diseases, such as esophageal adenocarcinoma in these children.
GERD can result in chronic inflammation of the lining of the esophagus and, more rarely, to lasting damage, including ulcers and scarring. It can also cause chronic heartburn, nausea and the potential for respiratory problems such as persistent cough, inflammation of the larynx and asthma.
GERD has already been linked to obesity in adults, but data regarding the association between GERD and obesity in children is scarce and inconclusive. To investigate this link, researchers extracted data of 690 321 American children aged 2 to 19 years who were enrolled in an integrated prepaid health plan between 2007 and 2008. Weight class (normal weight, overweight, moderate and extreme obesity) was assigned to them based on body mass index (BMI)-for-age.
During the follow up, 1.5 percent of boys and 1.8 percent of girls were diagnosed with GERD. It was found that extremely obese children had up to a 40 percent higher risk of GERD, while those who were moderately obese had up to a 30 percent higher risk of developing it, compared with normal weight children. The association between obesity and GERD remained even after taking race and ethnic background into account. It was noted that the finding held true for children aged 6 to 11 years and 12 to 19 years, but not for children aged 2 to 5 years.
The study concluded that there is an association between childhood obesity and GERD and this may have important implications for future risk of GERD-associated diseases, such as esophageal adenocarcinoma in these children.
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