Table 3.
Distribution of gastrointestinal symptoms by body mass index (BMI) categories
| Gastrointestinal symptom | Normal weight | Overweight | Obese |
| (BMI<25) | (BMI ⩾25–<30) | (BMI⩾30) | |
| n (% of category) | n (% of category) | n (% of category) | |
| [95% CI] | [95% CI] | [95% CI] | |
| Weight loss | 16 (4.3) | 5 (1.1) | 1 (0.6) |
| [2.3–6.4] | [0.1–2.1] | [0.0–1.8] | |
| Loss of appetite (anorexia) | 15 (4.0) | 18 (4.0) | 3 (1.9) |
| [2.0–6.0] | [2.2–5.8] | [0.0–3.9] | |
| Uncomfortable feeling of fullness | 61 (16.4) | 82 (18.2) | 29 (18.4) |
| [12.7–20.2] | [14.7–21.8] | [12.3–24.4] | |
| Difficulty swallowing | 23 (6.2) | 28 (6.2) | 16 (9.9) |
| [3.7–8.6] | [4.0–8.4] | [5.3–14.6] | |
| Retching | 78 (21.0) | 103 (22.7) | 53 (32.7) |
| [16.9–25.2] | [18.9–26.6] | [25.5–39.9] | |
| Acid regurgitation | 80 (21.6) | 115 (25.5) | 62 (38.3) |
| [17.4–25.7] | [21.5–29.5] | [30.8–45.8] | |
| Early satiation | 45 (12.1) | 63 (13.9) | 19 (11.7) |
| [8.8–15.4] | [10.7–17.1] | [6.8–16.7] | |
| Nausea | 49 (13.2) | 59 (13.0) | 25 (15.4) |
| [9.7–16.6] | [9.9–16.1] | [9.9–21.0] | |
| Vomiting | 9 (2.4) | 14 (3.1) | 10 (6.2) |
| [0.9–4.0] | [1.5–4.7] | [2.5–9.9] | |
| Heartburn | 100 (26.9) | 159 (35.1) | 68 (42.5) |
| [22.4–31.4] | [30.7–39.5] | [34.8–50.2] | |
| Central chest pain | 71 (19.2) | 98 (22.0) | 42 (26.1) |
| [15.2–23.2] | [18.1–25.8] | [19.3–32.9] | |
| Burning feeling rising in chest | 53 (14.4) | 89 (19.9) | 39 (24.7) |
| [10.8–18.0] | [16.2–23.6] | [18.0–31.4] | |
| Constipation | 96 (25.9) | 96 (21.2) | 38 (23.8) |
| [21.4–30.3] | [17.5–25.0] | [17.2–30.3] | |
| Diarrhoea | 64 (19.9) | 106 (26.1) | 46 (33.1) |
| [15.6–24.3] | [21.8–30.4] | [25.3–40.9] | |
| Alternating constipation/diarrhoea | 45 (12.3) | 58 (13.0) | 23 (14.5) |
| [8.9–15.7] | [9.8–16.1] | [9.0–19.9] | |
| Feeling incomplete rectal evacuation | 100 (27.3) | 125 (27.8) | 60 (37.7) |
| [22.8–31.9] | [23.7–32.0] | [30.2–45.3] | |
| Pain at defecation | 43 (11.7) | 43 (9.5) | 16 (10.0) |
| [8.4–15.0] | [6.8–12.2] | [5.4–14.6] | |
| Pain relieved by defecation | 75 (20.4) | 96 (21.2) | 33 (20.5) |
| [16.3–24.6] | [17.4–25.0] | [14.3–26.7] | |
| Straining | 96 (25.9) | 103 (22.8) | 40 (24.7) |
| [21.4–30.3] | [19.0–26.7] | [18.0–31.3] | |
| Urgency | 73 (19.8) | 94 (20.8) | 46 (28.6) |
| [15.7–23.8] | [17.1–24.5] | [21.6–35.5] | |
| Flatus | 82 (22.2) | 130 (28.6) | 46 (28.8) |
| [18.0–26.5] | [24.4–32.7] | [21.7–35.8] | |
| Borborygmi | 106 (28.7) | 140 (30.9) | 43 (27.0) |
| [24.0–33.3] | [26.7–35.2] | [22.3–36.5] | |
| Abdominal distension | 133 (36.2) | 152 (33.5) | 55 (34.2) |
| [31.3–41.2] | [29.1–37.8] | [26.8–41.5] | |
| Nightly urge to defecate | 20 (5.4) | 25 (5.5) | 20 (12.4) |
| [3.1–7.7] | [3.4–7.6] | [7.3–17.4] | |
| Black stools | 8 (2.2) | 9 (2.0) | 1 (0.6) |
| [0.7–3.6] | [0.7–3.3] | [0.0–1.8] | |
| Blood in stool | 24 (6.5) | 37 (8.2) | 10 (6.2) |
| [4.0–9.0] | [5.7–10.7] | [2.5–9.9] | |
| Mucus | 37 (10.0) | 27 (6.0) | 20 (12.4) |
| [6.9–13.1] | [3.8–8.2] | [7.3–17.4] |