A new study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine found that adhering to an anti-reflux lifestyle may prevent many symptoms of gastrointestinal reflux disorder (GERD) in women. 

The Nurses’ Health Study II is an ongoing nationwide prospective cohort study established in 1989 with 116 671 female participants returning biennial health questionnaires. The questionnaire collects data on information on smoking, body mass index, physical activity, medication use, and history of diabetes. In addition, the females also participated in 4-yearly semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. 

The findings showed a decreased risk—observed even in regular users of acid suppressants, including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs). This phenomenon was speculated to occur due to reduction in lower esophageal sphincter tone, increases in gastroesophageal pressure gradients, and mechanical factors, such as hiatal hernia. 

The results support the significance of lifestyle modification in managing GERD. When compared to women who did not adhere to anti-reflux lifestyle factors, the multivariable hazard ratio (HR) for GERD symptoms was 0.50 among those with five anti-reflux lifestyle factors. 

Source: JAMA Internal Medicine. 2021 Jan 4;e207238. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.7238.