• Ingunn Erla Ingvarsdottir, Svava Engilbertsdottir, Thorhallur Ingi Halldorsson, Einar Stefan Bjornsson, and Ingibjorg Gunnarsdottir.
• Department of Clinical Nutrition, Landspitali National University Hospital.
• Laeknabladid. 2024 Jun 1; 110 (6): 298306298-306.

IntroductionHigh FODMAP (fermentable oligo-, di, monosaccharides and polyols) foods have been linked with worsening symptoms of IBS patients. The aim was to compare gastrointestinal symptoms and dietary intake of patients with irritable bowel syndrome following a low FODMAP diet, with or without individual nutrition therapy.Materials And MethodsA total of 54 patients that met Rome IV criteria for IBS were randomized into two groups, guided group (individual nutrition therapy, n=28) and self-management group (learned about low FODMAP diet online, n=26). Both groups followed low FODMAP diet for 4 weeks. Four-day food records were used to assess dietary intake. Symptoms were assessed by the IBS-severity scoring system (ISB-SSS).ResultsThe number of subjects who did not complete the study was 13, thereof five in the nutrition therapy and eight in the self-management group, leaving 23 and 18 subjects available for analysis, respectively. Symptoms declined from baseline to endpoint in both groups, by 183±101 points on average in the group receiving nutrition therapy (p< 0.001) and 132±110 points in the self-management group (p< 0.001), with no difference between groups. At baseline, about 80% of meals in both groups contained food high in FODMAP's. The corresponding proportion was 9% and 36% in week 3 in the nutrition therapy and self-management group, respectively (p< 0.001).ConclusionBoth groups experienced relieve of symptoms, but compliance to the low FODMAP diet was better in the group receiving individual nutrition therapy compared with the group who only received instructions on how to learn about low FODMAP diet online.

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