The Relationship of the Number of Daily Meals and Snacks with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Iranian Adults

The relationship of the number of daily meals and snacks with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is less studied in Middle-Eastern countries. We aimed to find this relationship in a large sample of Iranian adults.
In this cross-sectional study, 4669 individuals fulfilled a questionnaire about their number of daily meals and snacks. Frequency of total meals was defined by summing up the frequency of main meals and snacks and participants were categorized into 4 categories: Findings: The prevalence of GERD in study population was 23.7%. After adjustment of all potential confounders, women who consumed 1-2 or 3-5 snacks per day, compared to those who never used snack, had a 41% (OR:0.59; 95% CI: 0.42-0.84) and 51% (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.32-0.75) reduced risk of having GERD, respectively. Women who consumed 6-7 or ≥ 8 snacks and meals per day had a 38% (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41-0.96) and 43% (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.34-0.95) risk reduction for GERD, in comparison with those who ate We found an inverse significant relationship between the meal frequency and GERD symptoms in Iranian women, but not in men. Prospective studies are required to confirm this association in Middle-Eastern populations.