Recently, the online edition of the International Journal of Childhood Obesity published a new research result: compared with normal weight people, obese children have a much higher risk of developing GERD, and severe obesity can increase the prevalence by 40%! GERD in obese children is mainly caused by the accumulation of abdominal fat and increased pressure in the abdominal cavity. High abdominal pressure increases the pressure in the stomach and esophagus, which can cause reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. The accumulation of fat at the junction of the stomach and esophagus reduces the pressure on the cardia, the “gatekeeper” at the front of the stomach, and reduces its ability to resist reflux. As a result, the stomach contents easily break through the defense line and reflux into the esophagus, causing acid reflux, heartburn, chest pain and other uncomfortable reactions. GERD in children is often overlooked and underdiagnosed. For example, hiccups, acid reflux and heartburn in children are often considered normal by parents and are often not properly diagnosed and treated when they go to the doctor due to lack of knowledge of the disease or lack of relevant tests such as pediatric gastroscopy. If children are not treated in time, it can lead to inflammation of the esophagus and increase the risk of esophageal cancer in adulthood. Weight control is the fundamental treatment for GERD in obese children. In addition, high-fat foods and wolf-eating habits can damage the cardia function. Director Wu reminds parents to help their children develop good habits of chewing slowly and eating less high-fat foods. If your child has symptoms such as acid reflux, go to the gastroesophageal reflux clinic for diagnosis in a timely manner.