Dietary Therapies in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Evolving Inflammatory Bowel Disease Paradigm

Abstract

Nutrition has long been recognized as a critical component in the treatment of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Formerly, nutritional interventions have focused on targeting improved weight gain and linear growth, as well as correction of micronutrient deficiencies. Recently, there has been growing interest and study of dietary interventions for induction and maintenance of remission. In addition to exclusive enteral nutrition, successes have been achieved with specific exclusion diets. This article evaluates current literature regarding the role of diet and nutrition in pathogenesis of disease, as well as the role of diet as primary therapy for pediatric IBD.

Keywords: Crohn disease; Dietary therapy; Enteral nutrition; Inflammatory bowel disease; Pediatrics; Prebiotics; Ulcerative colitis.