Dietary habits after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis

Dietary habits of patients who had undergone ileal pouch-anal anastomosis were assessed and correlated with bowel function. Twenty-four well-adapted patients (11 women, 13 men; mean age 32 years) voluntarily entered the study 30 +/- 4 months after closure of the diverting ileostomy. A standardized questionnaire on 108 food items and a 3-day food journal were used in the assessment. Twenty-one patients had no difficulty in selecting an appropriate diet. Caloric intake was adequate. Specific symptoms associated with several foods were as follows: increased stool frequency (beer, spirits, chinese food), decreased stool consistency (beer, wine, fried fish), perianal irritation (spicy foods), undigested particles (grapefruit, lettuce), odours (eggs). Pasta and bananas were associated with increased stool consistency. The authors believe that these observations may help in dietary counselling after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.