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Obesity is not a risk factor in children with reflux esophagitis: a retrospective analysis of 738 children

Yoram Elitsur1, Yulia Dementieva, Rotem Elitsur

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Section of Gastroenterology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25701, USA. elitsur@marshall.edu

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders
|March 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Obesity is not a significant risk factor for pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Male gender, not weight status, was the independent risk factor for GERD in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Obesity Research
  • Digestive Diseases

Background:

  • Obesity is linked to various pediatric gastrointestinal issues.
  • The specific role of obesity in pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if overweight or obesity are risk factors for reflux esophagitis in children.
  • To investigate the association between body mass and GERD diagnosis in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 738 pediatric endoscopy charts.
  • Calculation of Body Mass Index (BMI) and BMI Z-score.
  • Histological confirmation of GERD diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • GERD prevalence was similar across normal weight (65%), overweight (69%), and obese (68%) children.
  • Male gender was a significant independent risk factor for GERD (P < 0.0001).
  • Obesity and overweight status were not independent risk factors for GERD in children (P = 0.098).

Conclusions:

  • Male gender, not obesity, is an independent risk factor for GERD in symptomatic children.
  • Further large, prospective studies are needed to fully understand pediatric GERD spectrum.

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