Doctors have long associated obesity and heartburn, but a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates a causal relationship between weight gain and stomach problems.

After following more than 10,000 women, researchers concluded: Even moderate weight gain among persons of normal weight may cause or exacerbate symptoms of (acid) reflux. Simply put, losing weight and maintaining healthy diet will make you feel better.

An abstract of the study is available for free and can be viewed by clicking here. The full article is available to NEJM subscribers or can be purchased on a single article basis.