Which condition might someone have if they experience abdominal pain after eating high-fat meals?

• A. Gastritis
• B. Cholelithiasis
• C. Pancreatitis
• D. Ulcer

Answer: (B)

Fatty meals trigger the gallbladder to contract to help digest the fat, via the hormone cholecystokinin. If gallstones are present, this contraction can block the cystic duct and cause biliary colic—sudden, often intense abdominal pain that starts after eating and is commonly felt in the upper abdomen or right upper quadrant, sometimes with sweating or nausea. This pattern is classic for gallstone disease, i.e., cholelithiasis.

Gastritis and ulcers involve the stomach lining and produce different meal-related pain patterns, not specifically tied to fat intake. Pancreatitis can cause upper abdominal pain but is usually persistent and severe, and not exclusively linked to fatty meals.