Relationship Between Spicy Food Intake and Chronic Uninvestigated Dyspepsia in Iranian Adults Publisher Pubmed

Summary: A study found eating spicy foods often may increase stomach issues like fullness and pain in adults. #DigestiveHealth #Nutrition

Saneei P^{1, 2, 3} ; Sadeghi O^{1, 2, 3} ; Feizi A⁴ ; Keshteli AH^{5, 7} ; Daghaghzadeh H⁵ ; Esmaillzadeh A^{1, 3, 6} ; Adibi P⁵
Source: Journal of Digestive Diseases Published:2016

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association between spicy food consumption and chronic uninvestigated dyspepsia (CUD) in a large sample of Iranian adults. Methods: In this cross-sectional study we assessed the consumption of spicy foods in 4763 Iranian adults living in Isfahan Province using a dietary habit questionnaire. A modified validated version of the Rome III questionnaire was used to assess CUD-related symptoms. CUD was defined as having one or more of the following characteristics: distressing postprandial fullness, early satiation and/or epigastric pain or epigastric burning at least often during the past threemonths. Information on meal regularity, meal frequency, intra-meal intake of fluid as well as other potential confounders was also collected. Results: CUD was prevalent in 15% of the participants. The frequent consumption of spicy foods (≥10 times/week) was associated with greater odds of having CUD [odds ratio (OR) 1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-2.49, P < 0.05). This relationship was significant even after adjusted for diet-related practices (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.01-2.79, P < 0.05). There was a significantly positive association between spicy food consumption and postprandial fullness (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.29-2.40, P < 0.05) and epigastric pain (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.30-2.44, P < 0.05). However, no significant relationship was observed between the frequent consumption of spicy foods and early satiation. Conclusions: High consumption of spicy foods is associated with greater odds of CUD, frequent postprandial fullness and epigastric pain. Further studies, particularly of a prospective nature, are needed to confirm our findings. © 2016 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.