Excess weight can put pressure on the stomach, causing stomach acid to flow into the esophagus. This can lead to heartburn and other GERD symptoms. Your healthcare professional may recommend weight loss to help reduce the risk of GERD.

Regular heartburn may be a symptom of acid reflux. Contrary to the name, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. Instead, the name comes from the burning sensations around your chest and upper gastrointestinal tract.

These burning sensations happen when stomach acids leak back into the esophagus. This discomfort can last hours at a time.

Heartburn can happen to anyone once in a while. Chronic acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), causes symptoms at least twice per week.

Excess weight increases abdominal pressure, making stomach acid leakage or backflow more likely.

Having overweight or obesity can play a significant role in the development of GERD. Temporary weight gain, such as during pregnancy, can also cause acute acid reflux.

Acid reflux may also aggravate and cause other health conditions, such as:

  • asthma
  • chest pain
  • chronic cough
  • sore throat
  • vocal cord lesions

Your diet can also play a role in acid reflux. The following foods are known to aggravate GERD:

  • alcohol
  • carbonated drinks
  • citrus foods (including fruit juices)
  • coffee
  • fatty foods
  • garlic
  • mints (especially peppermint)
  • packaged/processed foods
  • spicy foods
  • tomatoes and related products

Reducing trigger foods can benefit GERD in two ways: it can help alleviate symptoms in the short term and even help you lose weight in the long term.

Reducing foods high in fat can help reduce calories while decreasing the risk of heartburn. The same applies to packaged foods and other non-nutritive items like sugar.

Exercise is another weight loss technique that is especially helpful for people with heartburn. Taking a walk after a meal helps with calorie burning and digestion. This way, you are less likely to lie down after a meal and risk further stomach acid leakage.

In some cases, a healthcare professional may recommend weight loss surgery.

Due to the nature of the procedure, heartburn is a common side effect. You can manage this in much the same way as other lifestyle remedies for heartburn:

  • eat smaller meals
  • don’t eat less than 3 hours before lying down
  • elevate the head of your bed 6-10 inches with a foam wedge
  • eat slowly
  • avoid trigger foods (such as spicy, high-fat foods)

There’s a strong link between excess weight and acid reflux. Weight loss may help prevent heartburn and reduce your risk for other health complications.