Table 2.

Dietary and Lifestyle Recommendations for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.^*

Dietary avoidance

Foods that are acidic or otherwise irritative

Citrus fruits

Tomatoes

Onions

Carbonated beverages

Spicy foods

Foods that can cause gastric reflux

Fatty or fried foods

Coffee, tea, and caffeinated beverages

Chocolate

Mint

Lifestyle

Smoking cessation

Weight reduction for patients who are overweight (BMI, 25.0–29.9) or obese (BMI, ≥30.0) or whose onset of symptoms was concurrent with weight gain within the normal range (BMI, 18.5–24.9)

Reduction in alcohol consumption

Nighttime symptoms

Avoidance of eating within 3 hr before bedtime

Elevation of head of bed

Postprandial symptoms

Consumption of smaller and more frequent meals

Avoidance of lying down after meals

Abdominal obesity

Avoidance of tight garments

^*The rationales for proscribed foods and lifestyle modifications are based on clinical experience or, in some instances, small physiological studies showing a relevant effect, such as the reduction of lower esophageal sphincter pressure. These recommendations should be advocated selectively on the basis of the circumstances of a particular patient. BMI denotes body-mass index, which is calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.