Guidance issued for food intake in inflammatory bowel disease

(HealthDay)—In an article from the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, published online Feb. 14 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, recommendations are presented regarding specific food consumption for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Arie Levine, M.D., from the Wolfson Medical Center at Tel Aviv University in Israel, and colleagues reviewed the current evidence to provide expert opinion on specific dietary components, food groups, and food additives for control and preventing relapse of IBD.

The authors note that for all food groups except pasteurized dairy consumption, consensus was achieved. It is prudent to recommend moderate-to-high consumption of fruits and vegetables in Crohn disease (CD). There is insufficient evidence for recommending specific changes or restrictions of intake of fruit and vegetables in ulcerative colitis (UC). Insufficient evidence was found to recommend any specific change in intake of complex carbohydrates or refined sugars and fructose in CD and UC. Insufficient evidence was found to recommend restriction of wheat and gluten in CD and UC. Evidence suggests that restricting moderate consumption of unprocessed red meat, lean chicken meat, and eggs is unnecessary in CD. In UC, reducing intake of red and processed meat is prudent.

Exposure to saturated fats should be reduced and trans fat should be avoided in CD. In UC, consumption of myristic acid should be reduced and dietary consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from marine fish should be increased; trans fat should be avoided. Evidence is insufficient for recommending changes in low-level alcohol consumption.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and nutrition industries.

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