Coffee consumption and GERD symptoms in overweight or obese patients at the gastroenterology outpatient clinics of two institutions in Quito (Hospital de Clínicas Pichincha and Clínica Pasteur), between January and March 2025

Background: Coffee consumption has been implicated as a potential trigger for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms due to its caffeine and acid content. Objective: To analyze the effect of coffee consumption patterns on GERD symptoms in overweight and obese patients attending gastroenterology consultations at two clinics in Quito, from January to March 2025. Methodology: Quasi-experimental study. Population and sample: 89 adults with overweight or obesity and GERD. Information was collected at three time points: before, 15 days after, and after the intervention, which consisted of implementing a nutritional plan designed to avoid GERD-triggering foods. Results: Mean age: 48.5 years (SD = 11.6). Coffee consumption at baseline: regular (n = 29; 32.6%), decaffeinated (n = 21; 23.6%), none (n = 39; 43.8%). At the end: regular (n = 17; 19.1%), decaffeinated (n = 15; 16.9%), none (n = 57; 64.0%). Symptoms at baseline and at the end: heartburn (34.8% and 3.4%), regurgitation (28.1% and 3.4%), sleep difficulty (14.6% and 0%). Relationship between type of coffee and symptoms at baseline: retrosternal pain/no consumption (n = 29; 100%), throat discomfort/no consumption (n = 30; 76.9%), nausea/no consumption (n = 24; 61.5%) (p < 0.05). At the end: abdominal distension, flatulence, and early satiety/regular and decaffeinated coffee (p < 0.05). Adherence to the nutritional plan reduced coffee consumption and the severity of symptoms (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The pattern of coffee consumption was associated with several GERD symptoms among overweight and obese patients; however, some symptoms were more frequent among those who drank decaffeinated coffee and others among those who did not consume coffee, thus the research hypothesis is rejected, as regular coffee consumption per se was not associated with more severe symptoms.