FODMAP-Lowering Diet for Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

A diet low in FODMAPs (i.e., Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols) improved symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in small clinical trials with dietician involvement in specialty practices (NEJM JW Gen Med Feb 15 2014 and Gastroenterology 2014; 146:67), but this diet is not easy to adhere to, and its effectiveness in primary care settings is unclear.

In this pragmatic, 8-week trial from Belgium, researchers randomized 459 patients with IBS — clinically diagnosed in primary care practices — to either a low-FODMAP diet or to otilonium bromide (an antispasmodic drug available outside the U.S. and taken thrice daily). The diet intervention — delivered through a smartphone or tablet application — was a FO…