Eating patterns in functional dyspepsia: a case control study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether eating patterns differ between patients with endoscopically determined functional dyspepsia and non-dyspeptic controls.

DESIGN

Case-control study (50 per group). A seven-day record of food consumption with time of food consumption was determined.

SETTING

Endoscopy clinic, St. James' Hospital and the Clinical Nutrition Laboratory at the Trinity College Medical School.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Meal eating pattern and their temporal distribution; consumption of food categories and their temporal distribution; data for all subjects and for employed vs unemployed subjects.

RESULTS

There was no evidence to suggest that the pattern of food and meal intake throughout the day was in any way influenced by endoscopically determined functional dyspepsia.

CONCLUSION

The widely held belief that patients with functional dyspepsia eat differently to healthy controls to relieve or prevent symptoms of dyspepsia is not supported by these findings.