Table 4.

 Association of individual gastrointestinal symptoms with being overweight and obese based on body mass index (BMI) versus those of normal weight, among the study subjects (n = 973)

	BMI 25–<30	BMI⩾30
	OR (95% CI)	OR (95% CI)
Weight loss	0.31 (0.11–0.89)	No cases
Anorexia	1.23 (0.57–2.65)	0.56 (0.15–2.04)
Uncomfortable feeling of fullness	1.36 (0.93–2.01)	1.19 (0.72–1.99)
Difficulty swallowing	0.95 (0.53–1.69)	1.49 (0.76–2.93)
Retching	1.11 (0.78–1.57)	1.74 (1.13–2.67)
Acid regurgitation	1.33 (0.95–1.86)	2.30 (1.52–3.48)
Early satiation	1.32 (0.86–2.03)	1.0 (0.55–1.79)
Nausea	1.20 (0.78–1.85)	1.43 (0.83–2.47)
Vomiting	1.47 (0.59–3.63)	3.11 (1.18–8.20)
Heartburn	1.64 (1.20–2.24)	2.11 (1.41–3.15)
Central chest pain	1.17 (0.83–1.67)	1.38 (0.88–2.16)
Burning feeling rising in chest	1.51 (1.03–2.23)	1.99 (1.24–3.21)
Constipation	0.86 (0.61–1.22)	0.83 (0.53–1.31)
Diarrhoea	1.43 (0.99–2.07)	2.2 (1.38–3.46)
Alternating constipation/diarrhoea	1.14 (0.73–1.76)	1.25 (0.72–2.18)
Feeling incomplete rectal evacuation	1.16 (0.84–1.60)	1.64 (1.09–2.47)
Pain at defecation	0.96 (0.60–1.52)	0.88 (0.47–1.67)
Pain relieved by defecation	1.23 (0.86–1.76)	1.08 (0.67–1.75)
Straining	0.90 (0.64–1.26)	0.86 (0.55–1.34)
Urgency	1.05 (0.74–1.49)	1.60 (1.04–2.47)
Flatus	1.47 (1.06–2.05)	1.44 (0.94–2.21)
Borborygmi	1.23 (0.90–1.69)	0.97 (0.63–1.50)
Abdominal distension	1.08 (0.79–1.47)	0.98 (0.64–1.48)
Nightly urge to defecate	0.97 (0.52–1.80)	2.57 (1.33–4.98)
Black stools	1.21 (0.43–3.42)	0.37 (0.05–3.07)
Blood in stool	1.37 (0.78–2.39)	1.06 (0.49–2.30)
Mucus	0.61 (0.36–1.04)	1.16 (0.64–2.12)
GORS	1.53 (1.14–2.06)	2.05 (1.39–3.01)
Epigastric pain	0.96 (0.67–1.39)	1.63 (1.05–2.55)
Dyspepsia	1.00 (0.74–1.36)	1.42 (0.96–2.11)
IBS	1.21 (0.88–1.66)	1.58 (1.05–2.38)
Abdominal pain	1.19 (0.89–1.58)	1.59 (1.08–2.35)

Logistic regression adjusted for education, age and sex.

OR (95% CI), odds ratio (95% confidence interval).

IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; GORS, gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms.