THE RELATIONSHIP OF DIET INTERVENTIONS TO QUALITY OF LIFE IN ADULTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Abstract BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can negatively impact quality of life (QOL) due to symptoms associated with chronic inflammation within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Dietary changes may offer some symptom relief, thus increasing QOL; however, the optimal dietary pattern to improve symptoms in IBD is unknown. The purpose of this review was to investigate the association between various dietary interventions and QOL in adults with IBD. METHODS A search strategy was developed using PRISMA guidelines. EBSCOhost was used to simultaneously search eight databases using key terms including ‘inflammatory bowel disease’ or ‘IBD’ or ‘ulcerative colitis’ or ‘Crohn’s disease’ AND ‘dietary interventions’ or ‘dietary advice’ or’ dietary recommendations.’ Relevant publications were hand-searched to identify additional studies. Included studies reported a dietary pattern intervention with QOL as an outcome measure. Studies that did not include adults, a dietary intervention, or a QOL measure were excluded. RESULTS After reviewing abstracts of 1,054 studies identified in the initial search, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among these studies, dietary interventions differed and included the low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet (n=4), Immunoglobulin G (IgG) diet (n=2), Autoimmune Protocol Diet (AIP) (n=1), Dietary Modified Program (DMP) (n=1), Dietary Modified Framework (DMF) (n=1), Mediterranean diet (n=2), and a high fiber diet (n=2). QOL was measured using various validated questionnaires. Results were inconsistent across studies. Significant improvements in QOL were found using the AIP, DMP, Mediterranean diet, and a high fiber diet. Two of the four low FODMAP studies and one of the two IgG diet studies found significant improvements in QOL, whereas the other three did not. Additionally, the DMF did not significantly improve QOL. It should be noted that the reviewed studies were limited to small sample sizes, a lack of diversity among participants, and short durations. Only one study assessed changes after elimination and reintroduction of suspected trigger foods. A nutrition professional was involved with the dietary intervention in 12 of the 13 studies. CONCLUSION Overall, adults with IBD reported improved QOL using a variety of dietary approaches. These approaches aimed to reduce symptoms by reducing foods that may increase inflammation, adding specific foods known to reduce inflammation, or a combination of the two approaches. These dietary approaches are complex and may be difficult to implement. Thus, the Registered Dietitian is needed to tailor dietary approaches to meet the nutrient needs and accommodate the lifestyles of adults with IBD. Additionally, there is a need for additional studies with larger samples sizes, more diverse populations, and additional follow-up periods.