Extreme childhood obesity is associated with increased risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease in a large population-based study.

OBJECTIVE

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may link the obesity epidemic to an array of adverse health outcomes including chronic esophageal inflammation and, consequentially, to pathophysiological changes of the esophagus. Although obesity and GERD are associated in adults, data in children are scarce and inconclusive. The aim of this study is to investigate whether, similar to adults, obesity is associated with GERD in youth.

METHODS

For this population-based, cross-sectional study, measured weight and height and diagnosis of GERD were extracted from electronic medical records of 690 321 patients, aged 2-19 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 based on body mass index-for-age.

RESULTS

Overall, GERD was diagnosed in 1.5% of boys and 1.8% of girls (P<0.001). Moderately and extremely obese children, aged 6-11 years, were more likely to have a diagnosis of GERD compared with normal weight (OR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.02-1.32 and 1.32, 95% CI: 1.13-1.56, respectively). Children aged 12-19 years showed similar associations (OR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07-1.25 and 1.40, 95% CI: 1.28-1.52, respectively). These associations remained with adjustment for sex and race/ethnicity. By contrast, obesity was not related to increased odds for GERD in children aged 2-5 years of age.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between childhood obesity and GERD may have important implications for their future risk of GERD-associated diseases, such as esophageal adenocarcinoma.