1. IN WOMEN, WEIGHT LOSS
INCREASES THE RISK FOR
GALLSTONE DISEASE MORE
THAN OBESITY
Authors
Kapantais Efthymios
Mortoglou Anastasios
Candiloros Harilaos
Venaki Evangelia
Georgiadou Elli

2. Department of Endocrinology,
Diabetes & Metabolism
Athens
Medical Centre Hospital
Athens
GREECE
8th European Congress on Obesity
Dublin (Ireland) 18-21 June 1997

3. Introduction
 Obesity is considered to be an important
risk factor for gallstone disease. Other
principal risk factors are age, female
gender and childbearing.
Purpose
To investigate if obesity per se
OR
Previous weight reduction regimen are
responsible for for gallstone disease.

4. Subjects
1632 Females
 Age >20 yrs
 No use of contaceptives
 No history of aemolytic anaemias
History of cholecystectomy in the past
or
Known cholelithiasis

5. Methods
Separation into 3 groups
1. According to previous weight
reduction
 noTry: never trying loosing weight
 <10kg: loss in the past less than 10 kg
 >10kg: loss in the past more than 10 kg at least once
2. According to BMI
 BMIGR1: BMI < 30
 BMIGR2: BMI 30 - 40
 BMIGR3: BMI > 40
3. According to age
 AGEGR1: age 21 - 35
 AGEGR2: age 36 - 50
 AGEGR3: age > 50

6. Results
50
%
40
30
20 >10 Kgr
10 <10 Kgr
0 NoTry
0
1
2
3
Children
Females, age 36 - 50, BMI 30 - 40
Total Prevalence of known cholelithiasis: 120/1632, 7.35 %

7. Results 60
%
40
20
0
0
> 10 K gr
1 Children
< 10 K gr
2
N oT ry
Females, age >50, BMI >40
Total Prevalence of known cholelithiasis: 120/1632, 7.35 %

8. Conclusion
 In women
Weight reducing regimens seem to
increase the risk for gallstone
disease more than obesity per se.
This risk increases relatively to
total weight loss.