Abstract
Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) is a common GI disorder. We reported a prevalence of 38% of esophageal GER symptoms among adolescents1 and found cigarette smoking, alcohol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were risk factors2. Now we are analyzing if certain foods and drinks are risk factors for GER symptoms in the same age group.
Aim: To find out the association between GER symptoms and the following as risk or protective factors: spicy foods, citrus fruit juices, 12 caffeinated and 15 non-caffeinated beverages, obesity, NSAIDs, alcohol, smoking and chewing gum.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was done among 14–18 year old students at a high school. The survey instrument contained questions on esophageal (heartburn, regurgitation and dysphagia), respiratory symptoms (cough and shortness of breath) over the past year measured by symptom frequencies on a 6-point scale1 and questions on the proposed risk factors. The data were entered into a MS Access Database and analyzed using SPSS.
Results: Drinking coffee or tea, caffeine containing carbonated drinks (Barq's root bear, Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper) and caffeine-free carbonated drinks (Sierra mist, Barq's diet root bear, A & W root bear, IBC root bear, Mug root bear, 7-Up, ginger ale, caffeine-free Coke, and Fanta) were found to be risk factors. Spearman's rho was between 0.01 to 0.30 and p value less than 0.05. Eating spicy foods, drinking citrus fruit juices or chocolate drinks were not risk factors. Subjects with greater BMI tended to have more frequent GER symptoms (rho=0.11, p=0.016). As we showed earlier2, alcohol, NSAID use and cigarette smoking were found to be risk factors (Odds ratio: NSAIDs – 1.38, cigarettes – 1.76, alcohol – 1.35, p<0.05).
Conclusion: Certain carbonated caffeine containing and caffeine free drinks were found to be risk factors for GER symptoms. Coffee drinking had a higher risk than tea for GER symptoms. Contrary to our previous study2, increasing BMI was a risk factor. Use of NSAID, alcohol and cigarette smoking were risk factors for GER symptoms. Chewing gum was not found to be protective for GER symptoms.
Article PDF
References
Ramesh P Braden D Dey S Gunasekaran TS Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a Caucasian predominant adolescent high school population. Gastroenterology 2002 122–A213
Gintaras Tarnauskas Priyadarsini Ramesh Gunasekaran T.S Gunasekaran. Risk Factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) in Adolescents and Young Adults. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001 33–A195
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Namachivayam, G., Gunasekaran, T. Food As a Risk Factor for Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms in Adolescents.. Pediatr Res 56, 669 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200410000-00040
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200410000-00040