Traditional Dietary Advice Vs. Mediterranean Diet in IBS

Proportion of IBS patients experiencing clinical response with traditional dietary advice vs. Mediterranean diet

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 5-10% of the population, and incurs substantial health
 impairment and healthcare utilization. Over 80% of individuals with IBS report food to
 trigger or aggravate symptoms, with many seeking to undertake dietary modifications. Current
 guidelines recommend first-line therapy with the relatively straightforward traditional
 dietary advice, with the more complex and restrictive low FODMAP diet reserved as second-line
 therapy.
 
 There is emerging data suggesting that the Mediterranean diet may also improve the symptoms
 of IBS, although it has not yet been subject to any head-to-head randomized dietary trials to
 help position it within the treatment algorithm. Given the relative ease of implementing the
 Mediterranean diet, alongside its recognized cardio-metabolic and mental health benefits,
 studying its efficacy in IBS is attractive as it could potentially pave the way for another
 first-line dietary option being available to patients before escalating to the demanding and
 resource intensive second-line therapies.
 
 The investigators will perform a randomized trial comparing the clinical efficacy of
 traditional dietary advice vs. a Mediterranean diet in IBS. Following dietary randomization,
 participants will complete validated questionnaires to assess changes in IBS symptoms,
 quality of life, mood, somatic symptoms, nutritional status, as well as dietary satisfaction
 and adherence.