I think we have to distinguish between factors influencing frequency and factors influencing severity of a diesease. In the case of acute pancreatitis, I would expect that the presence of gallstones, the conumption of alcohol and cigarettes or the presence of predisposing mutations among others would render patients more likely to develop pancreatitis in general. On the other hand, factors affecting the progression of Inflammation or the development of organ failure should influence disease severity.

Therefore I would expect obese People to  have more severe disease. As a matter of fact, obesity appears to be a risk factor for both frequency AND severity of disease (see for example Sadr-Azodi et al, Am J Gastroenterol 2013;108:133-139 or Chen SM et al, J Dig Dis 2012;13:244-251).

Obesity may increase frequency and severity of acute pancreatitis. Do you think that obesity is an etiologic factor rather than being a frequency or severity increaser? In our practice we have seen many obese AP patients with no detectable etiologic factor. 

I consider it a risk factor which is probably a little bit of what you have in mind. As in many other diseases some patients will need to have several factors each confering a limited risk to develop acute pancreatitis. On the other hand there are some factors (presence of gallstones, high alcohol consumption) that confer a larger risk, but even in These patients additional factors may increase the risk for disease frequency and severity. 

obesity has been linked with an increasing number of gastrointestinal disorders

In clinical practice I do not see a noticeable difference  in numbers between obese and non-obese

patients  who presented with acute pancreatitis

This review demonstrates that obesity has a clinically relevant impact on the course and outcome of acute pancreatitis.

Premkumar R, Phillips AR, Petrov MS, Windsor JA. The clinical relevance of obesity in acute pancreatitis: Targeted systematic reviews. Pancreatology. 2014 Oct 27. pii: S1424-3903(14)01003-5. doi: 10.1016/j.pan.2014.10.007. [Epub ahead of print].

In my practice, frequency does not affected by obesity, but obesity appears to be a risk factor for more severe pancreatitis.

The answer to the question is' NO'.I do agree obesity is associated with several GI related diseases .Progression of the disease may be severe in obese due to associated comorbidities but not directly.

No