The Gluten-Free and Low-FODMAP Diet in the Management of Food Intolerances

About this Research Topic

Background

Food intolerances have increased significantly in recent decades, a phenomenon occurring worldwide and at all ages, mainly due to the increase in disorders mediated by the immune system. This increase is especially notorious for food allergy and celiac disease. However, other conditions associated with gluten consumption are also relevant, such as non-celiac sensitivity to gluten and wheat allergy. Currently, the situation of food intolerances has become more complex because the population includes groups with very different food cultures (vegans, vegetarians, migrants), and the manifestation of food intolerance is highly variable, being easily confused at diagnosis.

Food intolerances are adverse reactions triggered by the ingestion of one or more foods (or active ingredients) or disorders that affect the digestive system due to enzymatic deficiencies, pharmacological, metabolic, and other causes. They can be classified as “non-immune system-mediated” which depends on the amount of non-tolerated food ingested (dose-dependent), and “immune system-mediated”, mainly food allergies and Celiac Disease.

The treatment and management of food intolerances are mainly nutritional, where the restriction of one or more diet components is indicated. The Gluten-Free diet is the treatment of choice for gluten-related disorders’, and the Low-FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) diet is often used in the symptomatologic management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Both diets have been extensively studied and are effective in controlling clinical manifestations. As Gluten-Free and the low-FODMAP are restrictive diets, their implementation must be monitored to avoid nutritional deficiencies during treatment.

It is important to note that restrictive diets should achieve dietary guidelines to promote a healthy dietary pattern in those who practice it. As an example, the Mediterranean diet is a widely known healthy diet with several health benefits. It has been proposed that Mediterranean diet could be beneficial to improve food choices and diet quality, potentially contributing to overall health of patients.

In this Research Topic, we aim to underline the beneficial effects and the controversies in the use of restrictive diets (Gluten-Free diet and Low-FODMAP Diet) to manage pathologies affecting bowel. We welcome Original Research and Review Articles, including Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses, with a focus on:
- Restrictive diets in the management of food intolerances (celiac disease, non-celiac sensitivity to gluten and wheat allergy, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease);
- Impact of the Gluten-Free diet in the treatment of food intolerances other than gluten;
- Impact of the Low-FODMAP diet in the treatment of food intolerances other than Irritable Bowel Syndrome;
- Effects on the nutritional status of following the Gluten-Free diet and the Low-FODMAP diet in patients with food intolerances;
- Effects on the intestinal microbiota of following the Gluten-Free diet and the Low-FODMAP diet in patients with food intolerances;
- Effects on symptom management of following the Gluten-Free diet and the Low-FODMAP diet in patients with food intolerances;
- Benefits of following the Gluten-free Mediterranean diet in patients with gluten-related disorders.

Keywords: Gluten-free diet, Low-FODMAP diet, Food intolerances, Restrictive diets, Mediterranean diet

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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