Sex differences in dietary coping with gastrointestinal symptoms

Abstract

Aim Nutritional changes are often considered first line treatment in public health diseases which apply to many gastrointestinal disorders, since different food and beverages may modulate gastrointestinal (GI) motor and sensory functions, and provoke GI symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine dietary coping and possible changes of food and beverages intakes in relation to GI symptoms reported by identified IBS patients compared to healthy controls and if any gender differences were seen in these respects.Methods A population-based case-control design was used. Three primary health care centres in the city of Linköping in Sweden. The IBS cases were recruited from the studied primary health care centres based on diagnoses from computerized medical records. The controls were randomly selected from the general population in the same region. A questionnaire was used with specific questions about self-reported food and beverages increase or decrease of GI symptoms and self-reported changes in dietary habits.Results Female IBS-cases appear to be more willing to change dietary habits due to their GI-problems than males. Effects of these nutritional behaviour changes were reported for almost all participants that had made dietary adjustments. Fatty food, certain vegetables, dairy products and egg were significantly more reported to cause GI complaints among IBS-cases compared to their controls.Conclusions Female IBS-cases reported more changes in their dietary habits due to GI-problems than males with the disease. The majority of both females and males that changed their dietary habits due to GI problems experienced symptoms improvement.

Effect of Self-Management Intervention on Cortisol and Daily Stress Levels in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“…In addition, women in the CSM group had greater change scores in self-reported stress levels than those in the UC group. In another study, women with IBS were more likely to change dietary habits following a dietary intervention as compared to men (Faresjo, Johansson, Faresjo, Roos, & Hallert, 2010). In IBS, male versus female differences may be due to differences in coping style, higher levels of somatic and psychological symptoms, and health seeking patterns (Hungin, Chang, Locke, Dennis, & Barghout, 2005).…”

Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients!

“…Nevertheless, the role of caffeine in IBS is less clear[17]. Several studies have indicated coffee and tea among the foods associated with symptoms by IBS patients[8,10,25]. On the other hand, habits of coffee drinking have not been noted to be more common among IBS patients than among healthy controls[18,19].…”

“…An important proportion of patients with IBS relate symptoms to foods rich in fat[8,25,26]. As a consequence, the avoidance of fatty foods is one of the most frequent dietary approaches considered by IBS patients for symptoms improvement[36].…”

“…In contrast, carbonated water and other carbonated beverages should be avoided by IBS patients, because they may cause symptoms[59,60]. One study reported more GI symptoms from carbonated beverages among IBS patients compared with controls[25]. …”

Therapeutic Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Functional Bowel Disorders

“…39 A substantial number of people with IBS report that their symptoms are associated with fatty food, and that they frequently avoid fatty foods to alleviate the symptoms. 19,21,39,40 In people with IBS, the lipid-induced inhibition of gut-propulsive motility is up-regulated, and the colonic hypersensitivity in response to the duodenal lipid infusion is exacerbated. 39,41,42 These effects may be associated with various IBS symptoms.…”