Effectiveness and applicability of low FODMAP diet in the irritable bowel syndrome: Preliminary results of a prospective study

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common entity that alters patient’s life quality worldwide. Several therapeutic modalities are available with variable results. Recently, the low-FODMAP diet effect on IBS symptoms has been proven. The aim of our study was to study the efficiency of this diet and to assess its applicability in a Tunisian IBS group of patients. Methods: A longitudinal, prospective study including 34 patients with IBS was conducted. Patients responded to a food frequency survey and had to follow a low FODMAP diet with a dietary guide education for 3 weeks. After the diet, a telephone questionnaire was conducted to evaluate adherence and treatment efficiency. Results: Mean of the population age was 56.5 (21 – 83 years) with a sex ratio of almost 1⁄4. The initial food survey showed a large consumption of white bread and fruits. Tolerance to rich in FODMAP foods was variable among patients. Up to 97% of patients adhered to the low FODMAP diet. A decrease in abdominal pain in 88% of cases and in bloating in 64.7% of cases (p = 0.007) were noted after the diet. Conclusion: In our patients, the low FODMAP diet showed satisfactory results with good adherence, and improvement of IBS symptoms. However, it is important to note the difficulty of a long-term diet in a population with a variable alimentary habit. Key words: low FODMAP diet; irritable bowel syndrome, applicability, Tunisia