Tag: Diet as tolerated

Following an illness, surgery, or during certain medical conditions, a diet as tolerated, or DAT, is a patient-centered dietary approach that progresses from restrictive to less restrictive food choices as the patient's body is able to manage. This protocol allows for a gradual and monitored return to normal eating, starting with easily digestible foods and advancing to solid foods based on individual comfort and recovery.

According to a 2025 report from the Hospital Authority, the term "DAT" is explicitly defined as a flexible dietary approach tailored to a patient's individual tolerance, preferences, and medical condition. But what is the DAT diet, and how does it function in a clinical setting? Often referred to as "diet as tolerated," it is not a prescriptive diet but rather a medical order that empowers patients to return to a normal eating pattern at their own pace following an illness or procedure.