Visceral fat obesity ups risk of erosive oesophagitis

Excess fat around the middle is a risk factor for reflux erosive oesophagitis among adults, a study has found.

The study included 433 healthy adults aged 40–69 years (234 men, 199 women). Researchers looked at the potential relationship between obesity-related factors (total fat area [TFA], visceral fat area [VFA], subcutaneous fat area [SFA], waist circumference, and body mass index [BMI]) and the presence of reflux erosive oesophagitis. They also evaluated lifestyle factors and stomach conditions pertinent to the onset of oesophagitis.

At baseline, the median BMI, abdominal diameter, TFA, VFA, and fat area ratio values were much higher in men than in women, although median SFA was similar. The average serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in men.

Reflux erosive oesophagitis had a prevalence of 27.2 percent (n=118, 106 men). VFA was higher in individuals with vs without erosive oesophagitis (116.6 vs 64.9 cm²). In the same vein, erosive oesophagitis was more frequently observed among individuals with vs without visceral fat obesity (VFA ≥100 cm²; 61.2 percent vs 12.8 percent).

On multivariable logistic regression analysis, visceral fat obesity showed the strongest link to erosive oesophagitis, among obesity-related factors. The odds of having oesophagitis were twofold greater for individuals with vs without visceral fat obesity (odds ratio [OR], 2.18).

Other factors independently associated with erosive oesophagitis were daily alcohol intake (OR, 1.54), gastric atrophy open type (OR, 0.29), and never-smoking history (OR, 0.49).