Application of a food trigger score to identify common dietary triggers among Saudi adults with irritable bowel syndrome

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder in which diet plays a significant role in modulating symptom severity. This study aims to identify common food triggers in Saudi individuals with IBS and examine how patient characteristics relate to food trigger scores. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 98 adults in Saudi Arabia diagnosed with IBS. Data were collected using a structured online questionnaire that captured sociodemographic variables, symptom severity, and responses to predefined dietary triggers. A food trigger score was computed to quantify both the number and severity of responses. Results: The most frequently reported dietary triggers were spicy foods (64.4%), legumes (62.0%), cabbage (48.2%), milk (47.7%), and fried foods (43.3%). Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that older age (β = 5.835, P = 0.041) and IBS symptom severity (β = 0.035, P = 0.039) were significant predictors of higher total food trigger scores. In subgroup models, chronic medical conditions were strongly associated with increased trigger scores for fruits and vegetables (β = 15.798, P = 0.002) and protein foods (β = 13.226, P = 0.008). Meanwhile, IBS severity remained a significant predictor for protein foods (β = 0.046, P = 0.026) and caffeinated beverages (β = 0.080, P = 0.004). Conclusion: Specific foods are strongly linked to worse IBS symptoms. Individual factors such as symptom severity, history of chronic illness, and employment status appear to modulate dietary sensitivity. These results highlight the need for tailored dietary interventions in the management of IBS.