VIDEO: Lifestyle modifications must be ‘personalized to the patient’ in GERD management
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WASHINGTON — In a Healio video exclusive, Carolyn Newberry, MD, discusses the importance of “personalized” lifestyle modifications, such as identifying dietary triggers and being mindful of meal-timing, for the management of GERD.
“In my session, I particularly looked at how we can use diet as a treatment tool to help patients feel better,” Newberry, a gastroenterologist and director of GI nutrition at Weill Cornell Medical Center, said. “I reviewed some basic dietary modifications that can be made, including reviewing elimination-style diets; macronutrient manipulation, especially reducing simple sugar intake and increasing fiber intake; and also looking at meal-timing and size — how the dietary habits actually reflect how patients feel.”
Although diet itself is critical for the management of GERD, Newberry noted that personalization is equally as important. For example, identifying and eliminating dietary triggers specific to the patient is often more effective than elimination diets, which can force unnecessary limitations.
Newberry also referenced data from small, randomized controlled trials that support macronutrient manipulation, such as higher fiber content and lower processed sugar, to improve symptoms.
“We also review that there is a little bit more data for physiologically how eating late at night would increase reflux symptoms and also looking at caloric density and size of meals throughout the day, favoring smaller frequent meals,” she added.
Emerging data also has underscored how obesity management, especially among those with an elevated BMI and central adiposity, is important for optimizing outcomes in GERD. However, “personalization was the key,” as some patients may improve significantly with weight loss while others may not notice as much improvement in their symptoms.
“The overall message from this session is that lifestyle modifications are important for management of reflux disease but need to be personalized to the patient,” Newberry said.
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Newberry C. Diet and lifestyle management of gastroesophageal reflux disease: How to minimize the burn. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week; May 18-21, 2024; Washington (hybrid).
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