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Special Issue "Nutritional Pearls and Pitfalls of Gastrointestinal Diseases"

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2021.

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Massimo Bellini
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Guest Editor

Gastrointestinal Unit–Department of Translational Sciences and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: gastrointestinal motility disturbances; functional gastrointestinal disorders -chronic constipation; irritable bowel syndrome; defecation disorders; anorectal manometry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the 5th century BC, Hippocrates wrote “Let food be your medicine” because since ancient times food has been considered a possible remedy to treat many different diseases. In recent years the nutritional approach to gastrointestinal diseases has gained a renewed and increasing popularity among both health care professionals and patients. Many people think of food as the main source of their wellbeing, and a nutritional approach is often considered safer than traditional drug therapy, presuming that what is “natural” is beneficial, or at least harmless. Unfortunately, people usually tend to overestimate the positive effects of some compounds contained in food and/or underestimate the possible metabolic interaction of foods with the drugs they are currently taking . Moreover, many patients go on a diet, even the most odd and bizarre, purely on the basis of a personal whim or, even worse, following the suggestions of friends and relatives. This is usually done without any expert supervision regarding the diet’s nutritional adequacy and therapeutic efficacy. Within this framework, it is not to be overlooked that the impact of the media on the perception of these topics is often very detrimental and disruptive. This is because they frequently propose a distorted view of the nutritional issues, often conveyed and promoted by TV, film, and sports celebrities. These messages frequently overlap with previous subjective opinions, and are further processed on the basis of the different culture of the patients, producing strange, unhelpful, or even dangerous behaviors.

Based on the above background, the aims of this Special Issue are to analyze the actual facts and the false beliefs regarding the possible positive and negative impacts of food and, in general, of the dietary approach to many different gastrointestinal diseases. It will hopefully be able to help physicians and, in general, health care professionals to understand where they should focus their attention when communicating with patients, detecting false opinions and misconceptions, and suggesting a more correct and healthier nutritional approach on the basis of scientific evidence.

Prof. Massimo Bellini
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Gastrointestinal diseases
Diet
Nutrition
Food
Therapy

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

A Low FODMAP Diet Is Nutritionally Adequate and Therapeutically Efficacious in Community Dwelling Older Adults with Chronic Diarrhoea

and

Nutrients 2020, 12(10), 3002; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12103002 - 30 Sep 2020

Abstract

The low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP)diet has been extensively researched, but not in the management of older adults with functional gastrointestinal symptoms. This study determines the positive and negative impacts of this dietary treatment in older adults with chronic diarrhea. A non-blinded intervention study was conducted with adults over 65 years with chronic diarrhea referred for colonoscopy where no cause was found. Participants followed a dietitian-led low FODMAP diet for six weeks and completed a structured assessment of gastrointestinal symptoms, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, and a four-day food diary before and after the intervention. Twenty participants, mean age 76 years, were recruited. Adherence to the low FODMAP diet was acceptable; mean daily FODMAP intake reduced from 20.82 g to 3.75 g (p < 0.001) during the intervention and no clinically significant changes in macro- or micronutrient intakes were observed. There were clinically significant improvements in total gastrointestinal symptoms (pre diet 21.15/88 (standard deviation SD = 10.99), post diet 9.8/88 (SD = 9.58), p < 0.001) including diarrhea (pre diet 9.85 (SD = 3.84), post diet 4.05 (SD = 3.86), p < 0.001) and significant reductions in anxiety (pre diet 6.11/21 (SD = 4.31), post diet 4.26/21 (SD = 3.38), p < 0.05). In older adults the low FODMAP diet is clinically effective and does not jeopardise nutritional intake when supervised by an experienced dietitian. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Pearls and Pitfalls of Gastrointestinal Diseases)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Impact of Diet on Symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Robin Spiller

Nutrients 2021, 13(2), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020575 - 09 Feb 2021

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with its key features of abdominal pain and disturbed bowel habit, is thought by both patients and clinicians to be strongly influenced by diet. However, the complexities of diet have made identifying specific food intolerances difficult. Eating disorders can masquerade as IBS and may need specialist treatment. While typical food allergy is readily distinguished from IBS, the mechanisms of gut-specific adverse reactions to food are only just being defined. These may include gut-specific mast cell activation as well as non-specific activation by stressors and certain foods. Visceral hypersensitivity, in some cases mediated by mast cell activation, plays a key part in making otherwise innocuous gut stimuli painful. Rapidly fermented poorly absorbed carbohydrates produce gaseous distension as well as short-chain fatty acids and lowering of colonic pH which may cause symptoms in IBS patients. Limiting intake of these in low FODMAP and related diets has proven popular and apparently successful in many patients. Existing diet, colonic microbiota and their metabolic products may be helpful in predicting who will respond. Wheat intolerance may reflect the fact that wheat is often a major source of dietary FODMAPs. It may also be either a forme fruste of coeliac disease or non-specific immune activation. Wheat exclusion can be successful in some of these patients. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of food intolerances and how to best ameliorate them in a personalised medicine approach to diet in IBS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Pearls and Pitfalls of Gastrointestinal Diseases)

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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Influence of Diet, Microbiome and Diet-Microbiome Interactions on Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia (Prof. Nicholas J. Talley)
Influence of Diet, Microbiome and Diet-Microbiome Interactions on Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia (Prof. Robin Spiller)
Foods, Fibers and Water in the Management of Chronic Constipation (Prof. Massimo Bellini )
Breath Tests: Are They Really Useful in the Nutritional Management of GI Diseases (Dr. Paolo Usai Satta)
Nutritional Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (Dr. Nicola de Bortoli)
Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases (Dr. Maria Cristina Neri)
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Is There a Role for Nutritional Suggestions (Dr. Francesco Costa)
Nutritional Aspects of Pediatric Gastrointestinal Diseases (Dr. Teresa Di Chio)
Foods, Diets and Drug Therapy of Gastrointestinal Diseases: Friends or Foes? (Dr. Corrado Blandizzi)
Dietetic Advices in Diverticular Disease (Dr. Rosario Cuomo, Dr. Bruno Annibale)
Nutritional Management of Pancreatic Diseases (Dr. Luca Morelli)
Nutritional Implications in Gastrointestinal Oncology (Dr. Renato Cannizzaro)
Nutritional Management of GERD: Is It Effective (Dr. Carmelo Scarpignato)
Food Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (Dr. Giovanni Barbara)
How to Implement a Diet in a GI Setting: The Role of a Skilled Nutritionist (Dr. Luca Elli)
Food Allergy and Intolerance: Nutritional Concerns （Prof. Paola Iovino ）
Food and Nutrition in Liver Diseases (Dr. Andrea Mega )
Perception on the Role of Food and Dietary Modifications in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Impact on Life Style (Maria Cappello)