Diet, physical activity, and body mass index on gallbladder recovery time: An exploratory ultrasound pilot study

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary composition, physical activity, and body mass index on gallbladder recovery time following food consumption and to identify alternative scan preparation strategies for patients unable to fast before abdominal ultrasound. Methods: A quasi-experimental study involving 26 participants was conducted using four ultrasound sessions under different conditions: consumption of each dietary item with and without moderate physical activity. Gallbladder wall thickness and volume were measured hourly following standardised ultrasound protocols. Measurement reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient on 30 randomly selected scans reviewed by two independent observers. Results: Recovery time significantly varied among meal types (χ²(2) = 18.42, p < .001), with wholemeal bread yielding the fastest and yogurt the slowest recovery. Physical activity significantly enhanced wall recovery ( p = 0.002) but did not affect volume ( p = 0.317). Body mass index showed no significant effect. Moderate and excellent intraclass correlation coefficients were achieved for gallbladder wall thickness (0.52) and volume (0.88), respectively. Conclusion: Wholemeal bread and postprandial physical activity serve as effective alternatives for ultrasound preparation when assessing gallbladder wall recovery. These findings promote patient-specific ultrasound protocols to improve diagnostic efficiency and comfort.