title: A case-control study of association of Helicobacter pylori infection with morbid obesity in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is an increasing health problem in developed countries, where the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is decreasing. Recent studies suggested colonization of the stomach by H pylori might affect gastric expression of appetite- and satiety-related hormone and patients cured of H pylori infection gained weight. It was hypothesized that H pylori could be a contributing pathogenic factor in childhood and adult obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine whether H pylori infection is linked to obesity, a case-control study composed of 414 patients with morbid obesity (a body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters] of > or = 35 with serious comorbidity or a body mass index of > or = 40) and 683 control subjects (a body mass index of <25) with a comparable socioeconomic status was conducted. Immunoglobulin G antibodies against H pylori were measured from frozen serum samples by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall seropositivity was significantly lower in obese patients (181 [43.7%] of 414) than controls (410 [60.0%] of 683) (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.39-0.65; P<.001). Differences in the estimated risk of the presence of H pylori were more pronounced in younger age groups, with ORs of 0.32 (95% CI, 0.10-1.00; P = .05) in those aged 10 to 19 years, 0.55 (95% CI, 0.34-0.89; P = .01) in those aged 20 to 29 years, 0.49 (95% CI, 0.30-0.80; P = .007) in those aged 30 to 39 years, and 0.58 (95% CI, 0.33-1.00; P = .05) in those aged 40 years or older.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicated an inverse relationship between morbid obesity and H pylori seropositivity. These findings raise the hypothesis that a lack of H pylori infection, especially during childhood, might enhance the risk of the development of morbid obesity.
authors: Department of Primary Care Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei.
authors: Ming-Shiang
authors: MS
authors: Wu
authors: Wei-Jei
authors: WJ
authors: Lee
authors: Hsih-Hsi
authors: HH
authors: Wang
authors: Shi-Pei
authors: SP
authors: Huang
authors: Jaw-Town
authors: JT
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015588:Observer Variation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial