Relationship between spicy food intake and chronic uninvestigated dyspepsia in Iranian adults

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the association between spicy food consumption and chronic uninvestigated dyspepsia (CUD) in a large sample of Iranian adults. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study we assessed the consumption of spicy foods in 4763 Iranian adults living in Isfahan Province using a dietary habit questionnaire. A modified validated version of the Rome III questionnaire was used to assess CUD-related symptoms. CUD was defined as having one or more of the following characteristics: distressing postprandial fullness, early satiation and/or epigastric pain or epigastric burning at least often during the past threemonths. Information on meal regularity, meal frequency, intra-meal intake of fluid as well as other potential confounders was also collected. ResultsCUD was prevalent in 15 of the participants. The frequent consumption of spicy foods (10 times/week) was associated with greater odds of having CUD odds ratio (OR) 1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-2.49, P < 0.05). This relationship was significant even after adjusted for diet-related practices (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.01-2.79, P < 0.05). There was a significantly positive association between spicy food consumption and postprandial fullness (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.29-2.40, P < 0.05) and epigastric pain (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.30-2.44, P < 0.05). However, no significant relationship was observed between the frequent consumption of spicy foods and early satiation. ConclusionsHigh consumption of spicy foods is associated with greater odds of CUD, frequent postprandial fullness and epigastric pain. Further studies, particularly of a prospective nature, are needed to confirm our findings.