As if being overweight or obese did not already cause enough health problems, a 2013 study published in the journal Obesity adds GERD to the list.
Researchers assigned 332 overweight or obese adult men and women to a weight loss program that included reducing daily calorie intake to under 1,500 and exercising for 60 minutes per day. After six months the average participant had lost almost 30 pounds and four inches off their waist.
Of the 1/3 of participants who began the study with symptoms of GERD, 80% showed improvement by the end of the study, including 65% for whom the symptoms disappeared entirely.
The study concluded that "the overall prevalence of GERD symptoms is high (37%) in overweight and obese subjects. A structured weight loss program can lead to complete resolution of GERD symptoms in the majority of these subjects."
If you suffer from GERD and you are overweight, you may be better off focusing on shedding pounds than looking for ways to manage the symptoms.
No comments:
Post a Comment