Study Shows Childhood Obesity Increases Risk of GERD

GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, is caused by stomach contents and/or gastrointestinal fluids backing up into the esophagus, often causing esophageal damage and creating a high risk of esophageal cancer. According to a new study conducted by Kaiser Permanente on children age 2-19, obese to extremely obese children have a 30-40% higher risk of developing GERD than do children of normal weight. Of the children studied, 1.5% of boys and 1.8% of girls were diagnosed with GERD.

According to the CDC childhood obesity has more than tripled over the past 30 years with 1 in 5 children considered obese and 8 to 25% of those children age 6 and older suffering from frequent symptoms of GERD. The CDC defines obesity in children as being at or above the BMI 95th percentile for children of similar age and sex.

Obese children have also been found to be at a higher risk for high blood pressure, cardio vascular disease, cancer, diabetes and high cholesterol. While these associated health issues are not a significant threat to young children, they become a factor for them as they age into adulthood.

Some symptoms of GERD include heartburn, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, dry cough, hoarseness, sore throat, regurgitating food or fluid and the feeling of having a “lump in the throat”. Children with these symptoms should seek medical attention. These symptoms can be reduced by weight loss, wearing loose fitting clothing, reducing foods that cause heartburn and waiting 2 to 3 hours after eating before lying down.