Stomach bloating pain which is experienced regularly, particularly when eating a certain food could be a sign of food intolerance.

That’s according to official advice from the NHS.

Online they said “keeping a food diary” over the period of “a couple of weeks” could help to diagnose food intolerance.

“The main offenders are wheat or gluten and dairy products,” said the NHS.

“The best approach if you have a food intolerance is to eat less of the culprit food or cut it out completely.

“But don’t get rid of food groups long-term without advice from your GP.”

A bloated stomach could be accompanied by skin rashes and itching if someone has a food intolerance.

The intolerance is caused when the digestive system can’t break down a food taken in.

Milk, or lactose, intolerance is the most common.

It happens when lactase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose, is no longer produced.

This means the body can’t digest the substance, causing bloating.

A food intolerance is different from a food allergy, according to the US-based Cleveland Clinic.

“Food allergies can be triggered by even a small amount of the food and occur every time the food is consumed,” they wrote online.

“People with food allergies are generally advised to avoid the offending foods completely.

“On the other hand, food intolerances often are dose related; people with food intolerance may not have symptoms unless they eat a large portion of the food or eat the food frequently.”

“For example, a person with lactose intolerance may be able to drink a single glass of milk, but becomes sick if he or she drinks several glasses of milk.”

Other possible causes of stomach bloating include irritable bowel syndrome and swallowing too much air.

Dawn Jackson Blatner, dietitian, says that eating your food “too quickly” could cause stomach bloating.

“Eating quickly and not chewing your food well can cause air swallowing that leads to bloating,” Dawn told WebMD.

“So slow down and enjoy your food!”

Eating a balanced diet could also help avoid stomach bloating.