- Sedentary life. Tom is a computer programmer whose job requires a lot of sitting. He also spends a lot of time watching television while lying down on the sofa at home and eating snacks.
- Age. Tom is middle-aged. Risk goes up with age.
- Weight. Excess weight contributes to the incidence of GERD. All that weight bearing down on the body can create considerable stress on his system.
- Medication. Sometimes medication exacerbates GERD, and heartburn was probably aggravated by the antiasthma drug.
- Genetic factor. Some parents are likely to have GERD. GERD can precede the development of esophageal cancer, an illness suffered by nonsmoking mother.
- Meal size. For years, some people have been downing large meals with plenty of spicy foods and red wine, frequently topped by his favorite, chocolate cake. Big meals aggravate GERD. Alcohol exacerbates GERD, as does chocolate. Red wine see,s to cause a much stronger negative reaction than white wine.
Why do some people suffer from GERD while others do not
Does it have something to do with aging or genetics or something else? The simple answer is yes. In some cases, a variety of risk factors are present, such as: