Measuring Diet Intake and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Validation of the Food and Symptom Times Diary

INTRODUCTION: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) identify food as a trigger for the onset or worsening of gastrointestinal symptoms. Despite this, there is no published validated contemporaneous food and symptom diary to investigate the association between diet and IBS symptoms. The objective of this prospective observational study was to assess the construct validity of a novel food diary and symptom questionnaire, the Food and Symptom Times (FAST) diary, and the predictive validity of the food diary component with relation to fiber and fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols consumption and subsequent gastrointestinal symptoms. METHODS: Fifty-one participants with IBS completed the FAST diary and several legacy instruments. The relationship between the FAST gastroenterological symptoms and legacy instruments was examined using Spearman correlation coefficients. Further statistical analysis investigated the relationship between diet and postprandial gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS: Consistent with a priori predictions, the FAST symptoms showed moderate correlations with the most similar Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System gastrointestinal scales (0.328–0.483, P < 0.05) and the most similar Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale questions (0.303–0.453, P < 0.05), with the exception of the weakly correlated subscale constipation for both instruments (−0.050 to −0.119, P > 0.05). The IBS-Quality of Life instrument showed moderate correlations with the FAST symptom abdominal swelling/distension (0.313–0.416, P < 0.05). The consumption of a high fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols meal was associated with participants with IBS-D experiencing abdominal bloating and participants with IBS-C not experiencing abdominal swelling (P < 0.05). The consumption of fiber was correlated with abdominal fullness and bloating in participants with IBS-C (P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: The FAST diary validly measures gastrointestinal symptoms as they occur in people with IBS and correlates these symptoms with specific aspects of diet.