Diets and Digestive Diseases

Abstract

Diets and the digestive system are closely linked. We will review here the diet therapy available for various digestive diseases. However, the use of a diet regimen is not always well codified and is often based upon historic clinical observations as well as common sense or popular belief. The diet indication can be experimentally validated (EV*) or clinically supported (CS*) or rely on physiopathological bases (PB*).

Note: * is used in this review to identify the level of proof for a diet indication in the management of a specific digestive disorder. Diet indication can be experimentally validated (EV*) by controlled studies, scientific analysis, etc. in line with the concepts of evidence-based medicine (e.g., FODMAP diet for IBS), or the indication can be clinically supported (CS*), i.e., based on clinical observation, long-time documentation of beneficial effects (e.g., gluten-free diet for celiac disease), or can be based on physiopathological data (PB*) leading to potential diet therapy and often with some benefit reported by some patients and doctors (e.g., fat-free diet for functional dyspepsia).