Are digestive problems more serious today than in the past? There are no facts to prove it, but more over-the-counter indigestion medications are sold today than ever before. So why are so many people suffering from so many stomach, intestinal, and indigestion problems? The answer could be in today's lifestyle.

Here are the 6 leading lifestyle issues that lead to indigestion and digestive problems:

1) Eating Quickly - Because of the hectic schedules of people today, they tend to eat in a hurry. When you eat fast, you do not chew up your food thoroughly. Swallowing large chunks of food causes your digestive system to work harder. You also swallow more air, leading to belching and intestinal gas.

2) A Diet High In Fat - Fast food restaurants, serving food with excess calories and fat, are part of the same hectic lifestyle of today. And not enough fiber and fruits are eaten. Fiber helps food pass through the digestive tract. But fat does the opposite, and slows digestion.

3) Inactivity - People are becoming more and more sedentary. Getting regular physical activity helps speed the movement of waste through the body.

4) Stress - Many people live a stressful life, and are constantly pressured for time. The body does not digest food well when under stress. It tends to concentrate on dealing with the stress, and not enough attention to other functions, like digestion.

5) Obesity - Too much fat in the diet and too little exercise have cause a great many people to become obese. Excess weight creates a number of digestive problems. The most common is acid reflux disease. The extra weight puts pressure on the abdomen, and pushes on the stomach. That pressure forces stomach acid back into the esophagus. This leads to the inflammation of tissues that line the esophagus. Obesity also increases the risk of gallbladder disease, as well as colon cancer.

6) Smoking - Smokers are more likely to have indigestion, ulcers, and cancer of the esophagus. Fortunately, some of the digestive problems stop once the smoker quits.