Dr Miranda Lomer

Title of Project: A Dietary Pathway for the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Dr Miranda Lomer Dr Miranda Lomer is a Consultant Dietitian at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and a Reader in Dietetics at King’s College London.

Dr Lomer explains:

‘Throughout my career I have been interested in the dietary management of irritable bowel syndrome. Until recently, dietary management rarely provided long term symptom control. In 2009, I led a project to introduce the low FODMAP diet to the UK. This was a diet that had been developed in Australia and was reported to successfully manage IBS symptoms. It is a complex diet and needed careful adaptation for use in the UK so we developed resources to enable people to follow the diet. For example, we have addressed the cost issue by providing information on how to include cheap, naturally low FODMAP foods, rather than expensive ‘free from’ alternatives and developed extensive information on suitable products and recipe ideas.

‘Following dietary advice, patients would return to clinic saying ‘you have changed my life’ and ‘the diet has saved me from daily pain’. It was very empowering and word soon spread that the diet was becoming a success in the UK. A 70% symptom improvement rate means that most patients are discharged form the dietetic and gastroenterology service with fewer follow-up appointments than previously.

‘In response to requests from dietitians wanting to learn how to implement the diet, I developed a training course in how to educate on the low FODMAP diet. Since then, I have trained over 800 dietitians. I have led the development of low FODMAP group education for patients to try to meet the high demand for dietetic services.

‘I am indebted to my colleagues Professor Kevin Whelan, Dr Peter Irving, Dr Heidi Staudacher and other members of the clinical and research team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. Without their support, this project would never have been a success.’

Acting Head of Nutrition and Dietetics at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Rachael Donnelly comments:

‘Dr Miranda Lomer is an outstanding dietitian who has helped to change the management of irritable bowel disease within the UK with her project to introduce the low FODMAP diet.  Her work has had significant impact on improving symptoms of irritable bowel disease for patients and show cases the important work that Dietitians do. We are thrilled to have such a talented dietitian in our department and for Dr Lomer’s work to be recognised with this prestigious award.’

Read more about Dr Lomer’s work on the Low FODMAP Diet and IBS.