Diet therapy of peptic ulcer disease

Information from 326 dietitians representing 50 states and Puerto Rico on the diet therapy of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in their hospitals was analyzed. There were 74 teaching, 65 teaching/private, 46 private, 120 Veterans Administration, and 21 miscellaneous hospitals. A bland diet was the most commonly used diet for PUD in 250 (77%) of the hospitals. Of the 161 providing information on the type of bland diet, 72% used a bland I or II. Milk was given routinely or usually in 55% of the 326 hospitals. On discharge, dietitians in one-half of the hospitals instructed patients on a bland diet, usually a bland IV, whereas the remaining dietitians instructed their patients on a regular or modified regular diet. Outpatient PUD instruction was similar. Review of bland diets in 105 manuals revealed marked variation in nomenclature and composition of even supposedly similar diets. Uniformity would benefit patients, dietitians, and physicians.