Integrating dietary strategies and physical activity in the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Abstract

Introduction
IBS is a chronic disorder of gut–brain interaction characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel habits and substantial impairment in quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Pharmacological therapies often provide only partial symptom relief, prompting growing interest in non-pharmacological strategies such as diet modification and physical activity. This article aims to synthesize contemporary evidence on dietary approaches and physical activity in IBS and to propose a practical, lifestyle-oriented model of care.
Materials and methods
This narrative review examines recent research on IBS, focusing on diet and physical activity as treatment approach. Sources include articles from PubMed database, along with WHO guidelines.
Results
Evidence indicates that first-line general dietary advice, optimization of soluble fibre intake and selective use of probiotics can alleviate global IBS symptoms. Low-FODMAP diet programs, implemented in structured restriction, reintroduction and personalization phases, consistently reduce abdominal pain, bloating and stool irregularities, though long-term strict restriction may adversely affect nutritional adequacy and microbiota diversity. Emerging data suggest that regular, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and mind–body activities such as yoga lead to clinically relevant reductions in symptom severity and improvements in quality of life, potentially via effects on gut motility, stress regulation and microbial composition, although existing studies are limited by small samples and heterogeneous protocols.