Relationships between diet and gastric motor function in functional dyspepsia

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Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a condition characterised by abdominal symptoms without a cause that is identifiable by conventional diagnostic tests. Symptoms (eg fullness, bloating) are frequently induced by eating. 20 - 40 % of the adult population in Western countries are affected by FD, and the condition, therefore, represents a considerable financial burden to the health care system. FD affects quality of life adversely. In many people with FD, stomach contractions and the 'sensitivity' of the stomach are abnormal. Often, people with FD avoid fatty foods in the belief that these cause or exacerbate symptoms. There is, however, little information about the potential role of dietary habits in causing symptoms, the relationship between eating and disturbances in stomach function, and the impact of dietary changes on symptoms. Our previous studies suggest an important role for nutrients, particularly fat, in FD. We will address the hypothesis that dietary factors, particularly fat intake, have substantial implications for the pathophysiology and treatment of FD. Our studies will involve physiological (stomach emptying, appetite and food intake) and epidemiological (dietary habits, dyspeptic symptoms and quality of life-related aspects) measurements. The subjects-patients with FD will receive standardised test meals of varying nutrient composition, and we will study the effects on their stomach and on symptoms. We will also test some medications in an attempt to alleviate symptoms during and after food ingestion, particularly after fatty foods. Other studies will assess the dietary habits of patients with FD in relation to symptom occurrence and investigate the possibility that dietary intervention (reduction of fat content in the diet, exclusion of offending foods) will benefit these patients. The proposed studies will provide the most comprehensive studies to date of the relationship between symptoms in patients with FD with dietary habits and stomach function.