Background
The reports that obesity could be associated with upper gastrointestinal disorders such as gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, reflux esophagitis have not been consistent. Therefore, we studied the association between esophagogastroduodenoscopic (EGD) fi ndings and the related risk factors of obesity. Methods: The study subjects include 2,210 adults who visited the Health Promotion Center of one university hospital from January 2006 to December 2006. All subjects had standard physical measurements as well as resting blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, serum lipids, and gastroendoscopic examination. BMI was classifi ed into two groups (BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2, normal; BMI < 23 kg/m2, overweight or obese). The study subjects were classifi ed into four groups according to the EGD fi ndings; normal, gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, refl ux esophagitis. Results: Mean BMI of gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, and refl ux esophagitis groups were higher than normal group after adjusting age, sex, alcohol and smoking (P < 0.001). Gastritis risk (OR, 2.098; 95% CI, 1.195 to 3.682; P = 0.01), gastric or duodenal ulcer risk (OR, 2.562; 95% CI, 1.282 to 5.117; P = 0.008), and refl ux esophagitis risk (OR, 2.856; 95% CI, 1.522 to 5.360; P = 0.001) were signifi cantly higher in overweight and obesity group compare with normal weight group after adjusting age, sex, alcohol and smoking. Conclusion: We suggest that overweight or obesity is the risk factor of gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, and reflux esophagitis.

Background
There are many reports that obesity could be associated with gastoesophageal refl ux disease (GERD) but the outcomes are controversial and the studies on correlation between endoscopic severity of GERD and obesity are rare. Therefore, we investigated the association between endoscopic severity of GERD and indexes of obesity. Methods: Among the subjects who visited a health promotion center of a general hospital from January 2007 to March 2008, a total of 527 subjects with typical symptoms of GERD who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and analysis of body composition were enrolled. The endoscopic severity of GERD was classifi ed depending on LA grading classifi cation system. Results: Among 527 subjects, 125 subjects were classifi ed with Non-erosive refl ux disease (NERD) while 254, 105, and 43 subjects were classifi ed as LA grade A, B, and C group, respectively. Men and frequent alcohol drinkers (≥ 5 times/week) were likely to be in higher endoscopic severity group (OR, 2.065 and 2.394, respectively; P < 0.05). If the subject was obese by BMI and waist circumference, it showed a higher possibility of belonging to the higher endoscopic severity group (OR, 2.319 and 2.596, respectively; P < 0.001). In the case of %body fat, the obesity group was more likely to be in the higher endoscopic severity group only in men (OR, 1.906; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Indexes of obesity such as BMI, %body fat (only in men), and waist circumference were related with endoscopic severity of GERD and this relationship is more apparent in men and alcohol drinkers (≥ 5 times/week).

Background
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing in Korea. The aim of this study was to establish if there is an association between the presence of metabolic syndrome and the development of gallbladder stones in Koreans.Methods: Among the subjects who visited a health promotion center of a general hospital from January 2001 to December 2005, a total of 34,574 adults was examined. Among them, the fi nal 34,470 adults (males 20,277, females 14,193) were included. Metabolic syndrome was defi ned if they fell under the three conditions of BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, blood pressure ≥ 130/85 mmHg, fasting glucose 110 mg/dL, triglyceride ≥ 150 mmHg and low HDL-cholesterol (< 40 mg/dL in men, < 50 mg/dL in women). After adjusting for age and sex, logistic regression analysis was done to evaluate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and gallstones. Results: This study showed that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 17.6% (males 21.1%, females 12.4%). Gallbladder stone risk was increased according to BMI, high blood pressure, high fasting blood glucose and low HDL. Gallbladder stone risk was increased according to clustering of components of metabolic syndrome after adjustment for age and sex (1 criterion: OR = 1.42, 95% CI, 1.20-1.69, P = 0.000; 2 criterion: OR = 1.86, 95% CI, 1.57-2.21, P = 0.000; 3 criterion: OR = 2.02, 95% CI, 1.66-2.45, P = 0.000; 4 criterion: OR = 2.17, 95% CI, 1.66-2.85, P = 0.000; 5 criterion: OR = 2.17, 95% CI, 1.17-4.02, P < 0.014). Conclusion: Gallbladder stone risk was increased according to BMI, and increased with people who had combination of more metabolic syndrome components.

Citations

• Development of an Integrated Human Error Simulation Model in Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Activities
  Chang-Su Nam, Byung-Sik Lee, Doddy Kastanya
  Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations.2023; 2023: 1.     CrossRef
• Relationship between Nutrient Intake and Hearing Loss According to the Income Level of Working-Aged Adults: A Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey
  Juhyung Lee, Ji-Hyeon Lee, Chulyoung Yoon, Chanbeom Kwak, Jae-Joon Ahn, Tae-Hoon Kong, Young-Joon Seo
  Nutrients.2022; 14(8): 1655.     CrossRef
• Complex impacts of gallstone disease on metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
  Jingting Lyu, Qinghong Lin, Zhongbiao Fang, Zeling Xu, Zhengtao Liu
  Frontiers in Endocrinology.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Gallbladder Polyps in Healthy Korean Adults
  Eun Jung Park, Hong Soo Lee, Sang Hwa Lee, Hye Jin Chun, Sun Young Kim, Yu Kyung Choi, Hee Jeong Ryu, Kyung Won Shim
  Journal of Korean Medical Science.2013; 28(6): 876.     CrossRef

Background
: C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the increasing plasma proteins in inflammatory diseases and tissue necrosis and recent evidence show that increased elevated levels of CRP are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and obesity. To investigate the relationship of obesity and CRP, we evaluated the correlation of CRP with obesity index in healthy adults.

Methods : The subjects included 1,926 healthy adults (1,168 men and 758 women) who visited the Health Promotion Center of a general hospital from May to December 2004. We excluded subjects who had inflammatory diseases, and investigated based on age, physical examination, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, serum lipid profile, percentage of body fat, and body mass index (BMI). CRP was analyzed by method of Turbid Immuno Assay (TIA) which has high sensitivity-CRP. We evaluated serum level of CRP in relation to %body fat, BMI, and clustering of metabolic risk factors.

Results : Comparing the median CRP with the percentage of body fat, BMI, clustering of metabolic risk factors the value of CRP significantly increased according to increase in %body fat BMI and metabolic risk factor (P＜0.001). The proportion of elevated CRP levels (≥0.22 mg/dL) was increased as %body fat, BMI, and clustering of metabolic risk factor increased. The Odds Ratios for elevated levels of CRP were 1.5 (95% CI 1.0∼2.1) in men and 2.9 (95% CI 1.7∼4.8) in women for subjects with obesity (BMI≥25 kg/m²), 2.0 (95% CI 1.3∼2.9) in men with more than 25% %body fat, and 2.5 (95% CI 1.4∼4.1) in women with more than 30% %body fat.

Conclusion : As %body fat increased, the proportion of elevated CRP (≥0.22 mg/dL) level increased in men and women. We conclude that obesity is related with CRP.