Korean J Gastroenterol.  2020 May;75(5):240-245. 10.4166/kjg.2020.75.5.240.

Obesity and Pancreatobiliary Disease

• Lee H
• Koh DH

• KMID: 2504244
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4166/kjg.2020.75.5.240

Abstract

Obesity has become a major medical and public health problem worldwide. Recent studies have shown that obesity is a chronic disease that is associated with many diseases, such as gallstone disease, acute pancreatitis, fatty liver, and digestive cancer. Obesity is also a risk factor for the formation of cholesterol gallstones. Clinical and epidemiological studies have suggested that obesity is positively associated with the risk of gallbladder cancer. Obesity may modulate the lipid and endogenous hormones metabolism, affect gallbladder motility, increase the risk of gallstones, and increased the risk of gallbladder cancer. In addition, obesity has been considered a risk factor for pancreatic diseases, including pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Obese patients develop systemic and local complications of acute pancreatitis more frequently. Several epidemiologic studies have suggested an association of pancreatic cancer with high body mass and lack of physical activity. This study reviewed the literature on obesity and pancreatobiliary disease in terms of epidemiology and mechanism.

Keyword

Obesity; Gallstones; Gallbladder cancer; Acute pancreatitis; Pancreatic cancer

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Trend in the prevalence of obesity: based on the body mass index. Prevalence of obesity: percentage of people with a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or greater, aged 19 years and older. Age-standardized rate using the 2005 population estimates. Sources: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016.

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  Fig. 2 Obesity rate according to the age group in Korea. Prevalence of obesity: percentage of people with a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or greater, aged 19 years and older. Sources: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016.

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  Fig. 3 Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. Obesity is defined as the percentage of the body mass index above 95th percentile from the 2007 Korean Growth Chart or body mass index above 25 kg/m2, age 6-18 years. Sources: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016.

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