4 most common causes of bloated belly

Cutting out cereal fiber eases symptoms by between 30 percent and 40 percent in the majority of ­sufferers. This means avoiding ­wholemeal bread, oats, muesli, digestive biscuits, cereal bars and all breakfast cereals other than Rice Krispies, but white bread, cakes, cream crackers and most biscuits are fine. Try doing this for three months to see if it helps. Probiotics may also ease symptoms.

This could be the cause if you are ­passing a lot of wind, but don’t notice any other symptoms. We all experience flatulence from time to time – it’s perfectly normal to do so up to 15 times a day and ­sometimes you may not even notice that you are doing it.

While there’s no medical definition of excessive flatulence, if it’s ­bothering you and makes life ­awkward or feels ­uncomfortable, there are steps you can take to reduce it. Try cutting down on foods that are high in ­non-absorbable carbs. ­Common culprits include beans and pulses, broccoli, cabbage, prunes and apples, and foods containing the sugar ­substitute sorbitol.

This medical illness could be the cause if you often feel tired, you’ve lost weight for no ­apparent reason and you are suffering from ­abdominal pain.

Coeliac disease is an adverse ­reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye and all foods containing them – everything from pasta and bread to pies and some gravies and sauces. It used to be mainly ­diagnosed in children, but it’s now known people can go undiagnosed into middle age.

If you have these ­symptoms, see your ­doctor and ask to have a blood test for coeliac disease. If you’re diagnosed, you’ll feel better once you start avoiding all foods containing gluten.

Ovarian cancer could be the cause if bloating is persistent and you have other symptoms such as a perpetual ­feeling of fullness and abdominal pain.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer tend to be quite vague, which is often why it’s diagnosed late when it’s harder to treat, so it’s important to be aware of potential signs.