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Monday 6 July 2026

Peer Reviewed

Gastroenterology clinic

Dietary approaches to irritable bowel syndrome

Sue Shepherd

Recent articles on:
Irritable bowel syndrome

Constipation in older people – an update

Irritable bowel syndrome: an update on diagnosis and management

Irritable bowel syndrome: what to do when dietary manipulation fails

Dietary approaches to irritable bowel syndrome

STW5 (Iberogast) herbal therapy and functional gastrointestinal symptoms

Recent articles on:
Nutrition

Diets: evidence-based versus the fads

Diagnosing and managing diabetic gastroparesis

Optimising micronutrients during pregnancy

Managing patients on a vegetarian or vegan diet

The gut microbiome in health and illness

Abstract

The low FODMAP diet, which restricts fermentable short-chain carbohydrates, is recommended for the first-line dietary management of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Key Points

Remember

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is very common, affecting about 15% of the population.
IBS is characterised by altered bowel habits and abdominal pain in the absence of an identifiable disease; other symptoms include abdominal bloating, distension and excessive wind.
The perception of food intolerances is twice as common in patients with IBS than in the general population. Food and food components are commonly blamed as triggers for IBS symptoms, including gluten, wheat, dairy, caffeine, fat and alcohol.