In gastroparesis-affected patients, meal-eating characteristics vary with the severity of gastric retention. Those having severely delayed gastric emptying experience the longest postprandial fullness duration. With gastric retention, dietary modification increases substantially.

A study sought to delineate the meal-related behaviors of individuals suffering from gastroparesis and establish a link between these behaviors and the severity of their emptying delay.

Adults displaying symptoms of gastroparesis participated in a study involving a 4-hour gastric emptying scintigraphy. They also filled out several questionnaires, which encompassed the Meal Patterns Questionnaire, a nutrition and diet survey, and the Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms.

Out of a total of 119 volunteers battling with gastroparesis, 35 exhibited normal gastric emptying (≤10% gastric retention at 4 hours), 26 had mild delays (>10%-20%), 28 had moderate delays (>20%-35%), and 30 had severe delays (>35%). A majority of these subjects (85%) reported consuming small meals with an average of 2.4 meals each day. The most common reasons for discontinuing a meal included feeling full (83%), experiencing nausea (46%), and suffering from abdominal pain (31%).

Due to the worsening of gastric emptying, the participants increasingly made dietary adjustments, including adopting low-fat, low-fiber, gastroparesis diets, incorporating oral supplements, and consuming blenderized meals (r = 0.309). Postprandial fullness persisted for a longer duration in people with severely delayed emptying compared to those with normal emptying, as depicted in Table 1:

Variations in meal-eating patterns were observed based on the degree of gastric retention. The highest post-meal fullness duration was reported in individuals experiencing severely delayed gastric emptying. There was a notable elevation in dietary adjustments as gastric retention worsened. These meal-eating patterns hold significance for the provision of dietary guidance to gastroparesis subjects aiming to manage their symptoms.