Women Who Gain Weight Increase Risk Of Experiencing Frequent Heartburn, Worsening Symptoms, Study Says

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness;  Acid Reflux / GERD
Article Date: 03 Jun 2006 - 3:00 PDT

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Women who gain weight increase their risk of experiencing frequent heartburn or worsening their heartburn symptoms, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the AP/Boston Globe reports. When stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, it causes an acidic taste in the mouth and burning sensation in the chest that is known as heartburn. For the study, Brian Jacobson of Boston University School of Medicine and colleagues over 14 years examined 10,545 female nurses from the Nurses' Health Study and evaluated how weight gain or loss affected the women's heartburn symptoms. The study finds that women who gained weight doubled the chance they would experience heartburn compared with women who did not gain weight. Women who lost weight reduced by 40% their risk of experiencing heartburn (Nano, AP/Boston Globe, 6/1). The researchers concluded, "Even moderate weight gain ... may cause or exacerbate symptoms of [heartburn]" (Jacobson et al., NEJM, 6/1).

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