title: Prevalence of overweightedness in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether the prevalence of overweight and obese conditions is increased in gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients (with 24-h pathological pH recordings) in comparison to general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 196 consecutive patients (103 females, age range 18-83 years) with symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) and 24-h pathological esophageal pH-metry. Body mass index (BMI) of the patients was calculated and its distribution (%) was compared with that of the Italian general population as assessed by National Bureau of Census (ISTAT). To evaluate the association of GERD with weight categories, the binomial test was employed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In males, overweightedness (BMI 25-25.9) was present in 43% of GERD patients vs 41.8% of Italian population (IP) (ns), obesity (BMI > or = 30) in 10.9% vs 9.1% (ns). In females overweight was present in 34.9% of GERD patients vs 25.7% of IP (P < 0.01), obesity in 13.6% of GERD patients vs 9.1% of IP (P < 0.01). No statistically significant differences were noted in different age classes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparison to the Italian general population, the prevalence of overweightedness and obesity is increased in female but not in male patients with ascertained gastro-esophageal reflux disease.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche, Gastroenterologia A, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Viale del Policlinico, 155-00161, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piretta
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alghisi
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anzini
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corazziari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors