Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease patients reduce their intake of foods rich in dietary fibers in an attempt to prevent recurrence of the disease, predisposing these patients to nutritional losses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intake of dietary fiber and associated factors in a group of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This was a cross-sectional study with 61 inflammatory bowel disease patients, and all participants were outpatients in Salvador, Bahia. Patients completed a semi-structured questionnaire that included questions about demographics, socioeconomic status and anthropometric and clinical information and a food frequency questionnaire to assess the intake of dietary fiber. The mean intake of dietary fiber was 28.2 ± 14.8 g/day for inflammatory bowel disease patients, 27.9 ± 10.1 g/day for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 28.9 ± 21.1 g/days for those with Crohn’s disease (CD) (p > 0.05). Most inflammatory bowel disease patients (52.5%) had intake below that recommended for dietary fiber. Inadequate consumption was present in 56.3% of CD patients and 43.8% of those with UC (p = 0.28). Men had lower fiber intake than women (p = 0.04). No significant associations between fiber intake and disease activity, location, presence of complications, gastrointestinal complaints, and nutrition counseling were found (p > 0.05). The low intake of dietary fiber was present in most patients, and the greatest inadequacy was found in males. Insufficient intake of dietary fiber appears to be linked to demographic features and not necessarily clinical characteristics relevant to inflammatory bowel disease.
Highlights
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a general term for a group of chronic inflammatory diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract and often refers to ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) [1]
IBD patients often worry about the foods that can trigger or exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms, and they restrict their diet in an attempt to control symptoms or to prevent disease recurrence [3]
Overweight patients accounted for 30.0% of IBD patients, while 22.7% of those with CD and 7.9% of those with UC were obese
Summary
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a general term for a group of chronic inflammatory diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract and often refers to ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) [1]. IBD patients often worry about the foods that can trigger or exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms (anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and distension), and they restrict their diet in an attempt to control symptoms or to prevent disease recurrence [3]. Fruits and vegetables are the most restricted foods by both CD and UC patients [4]-[8]. Some specific types of carbohydrates and fermentable fibers commonly found in some fruits and vegetables have been related to the onset or exacerbation of symptoms, such as pain, bloating and watery diarrhea, in patients with controlled IBD [9]. Diets low in dietary fiber may limit the synthesis of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which are major fuels for colonocytes
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