Food intolerance – evidence for functional somatic syndrome?

Abstract

Background: Food intolerance has been associated with distressing symptoms, most of which have been shared with the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This raises the possibility that food intolerance may represent another manifestation of the same physiological or psychosomatic processes, associated with functional somatic syndromes. The present study took a novel approach to food intolerance by investigating the possibility that symptoms, attributed to food intolerance are likely to be generated by a cognitive-emotional sensitisation, common in medically unexplained somatic complaints. It explored whether patients with IBS and patients with food intolerance share not only symptomatology, but also psychological features - somatosensory amplification tendency, anxiety, depression, illness perception, attributions and behaviour, all of which contribute to the process of sensitisation. Methods: Data was obtained by recruitment of participants with food intolerance and/or IBS from GP practices and food intolerance clinics. Measures of anxiety, depression, somatisation, personality, health-related attributions and behaviours were completed. Findings: IBS patients, as well as those with both IBS and food intolerance, reported symptoms, significantly higher in number and severity than the group of patients with food intolerance alone. They scored higher on somatosensory amplification tendency and on measures of illness perception, showing that IBS was perceived as more threatening condition than food intolerance. Discussion: These findings demonstrate differences between food intolerant patients and IBS patients, including those, who attribute adverse symptoms to food. Differences were revealed in the severity of symptoms, somatisation, illness perception and behaviour. Implications of food intolerances and comparisons with functional disorders are discussed.