Does the size of your waist increase your risk of Barrett's Esophagus?

In recently conducted studies, researchers, including Douglas Corley, from Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, concluded there are independent associations between the risk of Barrett's esophagus and waist circumference, providing partial support for the theory that abdominal obesity contributes to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the risk of Barrett's esophagus.

It is known that Barrett's esophagus is a significant risk factor for the development of esophageal cancer.

To investigate further, Dr. Corley and his team administered a validated gastrointestinal symptom questionnaire and conducted an examination of 320 patients with Barrett's esophagus, 316 patients with GERD, and 317 healthy controls.

The researchers reported in the journal Gastroenterology that, regardless of BMI, there was a general association between Barrett's esophagus and increased abdominal circumference. Individuals with a waist circumference greater than 31 inches (80 cm) had an odds ratio for Barrett's esophagus of 2.24 compared with those with a waist circumference smaller than 31 inches.

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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux disease, occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly and stomach contents leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus.

Barrett's Esophagus
Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food and saliva from the mouth to the stomach, changes so that some of its lining is replaced by a type of tissue similar to that normally found in the intestine. This process is called intestinal metaplasia.

Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the fastest growing cancer in the western world. Major risk factors for this cancer are Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Barrett's esophagus.