Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)Oct 31, 2026

Simple dietary changes for managing irritable bowel syndrome in children

Gut-Brain Axis Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Nov 2, 2026

Abstract

Up to 90% of children and parents report a direct correlation between specific food consumption and symptom exacerbation in pediatric irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Dietary intervention is a key therapeutic challenge for managing pediatric IBS due to the potential for nutritional deficiencies.
Traditional dietary advice, promoting lifestyle and dietary modifications, shows long-term efficacy similar to more restrictive diets while reducing the risk of eating disorders.
The Mediterranean diet may offer anti-inflammatory benefits and improve gut health through prebiotic fiber and antioxidants.
The low-fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols diet is highly restrictive and associated with a risk of nutritional deficiencies, making it suitable only for select cases.
A reduction in ultra-processed foods could alleviate IBS symptoms by addressing issues related to gut bacteria imbalance.

Simplified

Pediatric irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gut-brain axis disorder that negatively affects the quality of life of children and adolescents. Because up to 90% of children and parents report a direct correlation between the consumption of specific foods and symptom exacerbation, dietary intervention is a therapeutic challenge. However, the lack of nutritional guidance leads parents to self-manage their children's diets, thereby increasing the risk of dietary restrictions and nutritional deficiencies. This review analyzes current evidence on dietary therapy for pediatric IBS, focusing on efficacy, safety, and the risk of nutritional deficiencies. Traditional dietary advice is recommended as the first-line dietary approach, promoting a set of lifestyle and dietary recommendations; it demonstrates long-term clinical efficacy comparable to more restrictive diets while minimizing the risk of eating disorders. The Mediterranean diet serves as a protective and sustainable diet, offering anti-inflammatory effects and favorable microbiota modulation by prebiotic fiber and antioxidant compounds. By contrast, the low-fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols diet is reserved for selected cases owing to its restrictive nature and potential for nutritional deficiencies. To date, the gluten-free diet approach remains limited and controversial in children. Moreover, reduction of ultra-processed foods is a further diet strategy for IBS symptoms; ultra-processed foods are often rich in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, polyols, and added sugars, leading to microbiota dysbiosis and symptom exacerbation. Overall, a multidisciplinary and family-centered approach is essential to control IBS symptoms in children, focusing on personalized diet and behavioral interventions.

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Simple dietary changes for managing irritable bowel syndrome in children

Abstract

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