Diet and Health in Otolaryngology

Area of Science:

• Nutrition science
• Otolaryngology
• Public health

Background:

• Diet is crucial for health, affecting inflammation, microbiota, and epigenetics.
• Good nutrition is vital for post-surgical recovery.
• Studying diet's health effects is challenging, leading to limited research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current evidence on diet's role in otolaryngologic disorders.
• To identify knowledge gaps and areas for future research in diet and ENT conditions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies examining diet and otolaryngologic conditions.
• Analysis of evidence quality and consistency.

Main Results:

• Substantial evidence supports whole food, plant-predominant diets for general health and longevity.
• Limited and heterogeneous evidence links diet to head and neck cancer, hearing loss, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and sinonasal symptoms.
• Current evidence is often insufficient for dietary recommendations in otolaryngology.

Conclusions:

• Diet plays a role in otolaryngologic health, but specific recommendations are lacking.
• Further research is needed to clarify diet's impact on various ENT disorders.
• Future studies should focus on establishing evidence-based dietary guidelines for otolaryngology.