Obesity Obesity has become a national health problem. Despite greater media attention and availability of low-fat foods, the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimated that 66 percent of all adults in the U.S. are currently overweight or obese, and the problem has been getting worse for the past 20 years. There has been a large increase in the number of overweight people in the U.S. since the 1980s. A person is considered overweight if his or her body mass index, a measure of weight adjusted for height, is above 25. A person is considered obese if his or her BMI is greater than 30. Both "overweight" and "obesity" carry health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, and gallbladder disease. Specific GI disorders that are affected by obesity include: Gallstones Although you don't have to be overweight to have gallbladder disease, people who are overweight face a risk three times greater than people of average weight. The precise reason why being overweight causes gallstones is unclear. Scientists believe that being overweight leads to gallstone formation both because of excess cholesterol production (which upsets the balance in the bile) and because obesity decreases the gallbladder's ability to contract. Even a moderate amount of overweight increases one's risk of developing gallstones. Ironically, weight loss also increases the risk of developing gallstones. The mechanisms that cause stones to form during weight loss are similar to weight gain, although the tendency to develop stones is only temporary with weight loss. Dieting alters the cholesterol-bile salt balance in favor of gallstone formation, and skipping meals decreases the contractions of the gallbladder. Rapid or extreme weight loss seems to increase the risk of gallstones. If you need to lose weight, do it gradually; and if you already suffer from gallstones, see your doctor before starting on a weight-loss program. Back to top
Heartburn (GERD) Being overweight can worsen the symptoms of GERD. Losing weight can help to reduce the frequency or severity of GERD symptoms. The theory is that excessive pressure in the area of the stomach or abdomen can "push" stomach contents back up into the esophagus. This would be true for people who carry their weight more around their waist than their hips (the so-called "apple" rather than "pear" shape). When people of this shape wear tight-waisted clothing and do heavy lifting or straining, this can result in enough increased pressure to trigger heartburn. Back to top
Cancers Of The GI Tract In the gastrointestinal tract, obesity has been linked to colon and rectal cancers. This is most likely due to a number of overlapping risk factors since obesity is often caused by eating too much fat and too little fiber, getting too little exercise, and perhaps drinking alcohol. Back to top
Last updated September 11, 2006
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