Relationship of abuse history and other risk factors with obesity among female gastrointestinal patients

Little is know about the relationship of abuse history and other risk factors with being overweight and obese among gastrointestinal patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative risk of abuse history on being overweight and obese among 239 female gastrointestinal patients. Forty-one percent of the patients were found to be overweight or obese, 49% reported a history of physical abuse, and 42% had a sexual abuse history. A history of physical abuse (odds ratio = 1.34, P < 0.03), being nonwhite (odds ratio = 2.66, P < 0: 01), being older (odds ratio = 1.03 for each year older, P < 0.02), and having fewer years of schooling (odds ratio = 1.11, P < 0.05) were found to be strongly associated with being overweight and/or obese. Among the female patients referred for gastrointestinal disorders at a university-based gastrointestinal clinic, a high proportion was overweight or obese. Physical abuse history and several demographic factors were significantly related to being overweight and obese in this clinical population.