Acid reflux more common in obese kids
Obesity is a risk factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children and teens in the same manner as it is in adults, a new study finds.
According to the study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, moderate or extremely obese children and adolescents aged between 6 and 19 are 16 to 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with GERD.
The association was reported to be stronger in girls and non-Hispanic whites. As for infants, however, obesity is not an underlying cause of reflux, the study found.
Obesity is believed to place the individual at an increased risk of developing GERD through altering intra-abdominal pressures as well as causing esophageal motility disorders and esophageal acid exposure.
"It can be speculated that early onset of childhood obesity may also increase the risk for GERD in later years, and, thereby, alter the magnitude of the association between body mass index and esophageal adenocarcinoma by a longer exposure to excessive body weight and associated health consequences," said lead researcher Corinna Koebnick.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux disease is a condition when stomach acid and contents back up into the esophagus, causing chronic symptoms such as heartburn and mucosal damage. The disease is associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer in adults.
Source: presstv.ir
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