Review for 10.1186/s12876-017-0699-1 (2017)

Reviewer’ s report
Title: Dietary habits and obesity indices in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease: a
comparative cross-sectional study
Version: 0Date: 21 Jul 2017
Reviewer: Mohamed Othman
Reviewer's report:
This is a well written study discussing diary and life style risk factors for GERD. The authors
conducted the study appropriately and that central obesity and coffee intake were risk factor forobesity. Major Comment:1-Although the study aimed at examining dietary risk factors, quantity oftea and coffee or citrus were not mentioned. Intake of 3 cup of coffee could cause GERD but maybe one 8 oz cup may not. 2- Authors didn't mention where the control group were recruited from?were they other patients presented to GI clinic for hemorrhoids treatment for example?. the sourceof control patients is important. Minor comments:1- I assume tea intake signify black tea or greentea, What about mint tea? mint is known to increase GERD2- Authors should comments onrecollection bias as limitation for such type of analysis.
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.
YesDoes the work include the necessary controls?
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.
YesAre the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.
YesAre you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an
additional statistical review?If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require furtherassessment in your comments to the editors.
I am able to assess the statisticsQuality of written English
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:
Acceptable
Declaration of competing interests
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of thismanuscript, either now or in the future?
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the
manuscript?
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that holds
or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?6. Do you have any non-financial competing interests in relation to this paper?
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' below.
If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.
no
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named reportincluding any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative CommonsCC-BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). I understand that any commentswhich I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential commentsto the editors, which will not be published.
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal