Three widely followed diets for nonconstipated irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) produce similar results, but traditional dietary advice (TDA) is easier to follow, researchers say.
"We recommend TDA as the first-choice dietary option due to its widespread availability and patient friendliness," Anupam Rej, MBChB, from Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Sheffield, United Kingdom, and colleagues write.
According to their study, about half the people following each of three diets — TDA; gluten-free; and low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) — reported at least a 50% reduction in their symptoms.
They noted, however, that the low-FODMAP diet produced the most improvement in depression and dysphoria.
The study was published online in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
What the Dietary Options Entailed
The three diets have different origins and methodologies, but all are designed to reduce the abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits that characterize IBS.
TDA is based on recommendations of the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the British Dietetic Association. It includes "sensible eating patterns," such as regular meals, never having too much or too little, and sufficient hydration. It calls for a reduction in alcoholic, caffeinated, and "fizzy" drinks; spicy, fatty, and processed foods; fresh fruit (a maximum of three per day); and fiber and other gas-producing foods, such as beans, bread, and sweeteners.
