Metabolic syndrome is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease in a large Taiwanese population study

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) have emerged as prominent health issues in past decades. This study aimed to evaluate whether the presence of MetS and its constituent factors was associated with a higher likelihood of GERD in a large cohort of Taiwanese adults. MetS and its components were defined according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel and Adult Treatment Panel III for Asians, and the presence of GERD was assessed using standardized interviews and questionnaires. Of 121,583 participants from the Taiwan biobank, 16,664 (13.7%) were diagnosed with GERD and 27,441 (22.6%) were diagnosed with MetS. After multivariable analysis, the participants with MetS (odds ratio [OR] = 1.079), abdominal obesity (OR = 1.094), hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.085), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 1.073) (all p < 0.001) were significantly associated with GERD, but high blood pressure and hyperglycemia were not. Furthermore, there was a trend of a stepwise increase in the rate of GERD in accordance with the number of MetS components. Participants with 3 components (vs. 0; OR = 1.093; p = 0.002), 4 components (vs. 0; OR = 1.108; p = 0.005), and 5 components (vs. 0; OR = 1.137; p = 0.029) were significantly associated with GERD. Our results suggest that MetS may be associated with the development of GERD in the Taiwanese population.