REVIEW PAPER
The role of diet in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
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Municipal Hospital in Olsztyn; “Sekrety Diety” Nutrition Clinic, Olsztyn, Poland
Submission date: 2026-06-15
Final revision date: 2026-07-07
Acceptance date: 2026-07-07
Online publication date: 2026-07-16
Publication date: 2026-07-16
Pol. Ann. Med. 2026;33:231-236
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal disorder. Dietary management is an important component of treatment; however, current recommendations remain heterogeneous.
Aim:
To review the current evidence regarding dietary management in patients with GERD undergoing conservative or surgical treatment.
Material and methods:
A narrative review was conducted using PubMed and Scopus. Guidelines, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies concerning diet, lifestyle, and postoperative nutritional management in GERD were included.
Results and discussion:
The strongest evidence supports weight reduction in overweight patients, avoidance of late meals, and individualized identification of dietary symptom triggers. Routine elimination of specific foods is not supported by current evidence. Mediterranean and plant-based diets may be beneficial, although available evidence is mainly observational. Postoperative dietary progression after fundoplication is based primarily on expert consensus and should be individualized according to patient tolerance. Evidence supporting probiotics and functional foods remains limited.
Conclusions:
Dietary therapy should complement pharmacological and surgical treatment of GERD. Current evidence supports individualized dietary counseling rather than universal food restrictions. Further high-quality studies are needed to strengthen dietary recommendations, particularly in postoperative care.
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