In a front-page story, Sacramento Bee (5/12, 1A, Creamer) reported that acid reflux is “on the rise in America, with 25 million people experiencing daily symptoms,” up from “15 million only a decade ago,” according to the American Gastroenterological Association. Moreover, another 60 million report having heartburn once a month. “Blame stress and an aging population — and above all, experts say, blame Americans’ habit of eating too much,” because even modest weight gain can lead to acid reflux. Women with a BMI of “25 to 27, considered only slightly overweight, are more than twice as likely to develop the disease, Boston University researchers have found.”
