Background: Among the complex factors that may favor the occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), genetic, immunological and environmental initiators, including nutritional factors, are listed. So far, there have been no previous studies on the type and frequency of dietary risk factors for IBD in Poland and their effect on the nutritional status of patients.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the influence of the frequency and type of dietary risk factors for IBD on the nutritional status of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).
Material and methods: In the study, the dietary habits and nutritional status of patients were assessed using the cross-check dietary history method and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire. The study group consisted of 162 IBD patients: 61 individuals with CD and 101 with UC. The data was compared to the results of a control group (129 healthy volunteers).
Results: The results obtained showed that IBD patients during a period of remission disclosed such dietary risk factors as inadequate consumption of fiber and excessive consumption of red meat and meat products, animal fats, and sugars in comparison to the control group. Only low fiber intake was associated with a worse nutritional status of patients with UC. No consistent influence of the number of IBD dietary risk factors on the nutritional status of patients was found.
Conclusions: The nutritional status of IBD patients in remission was related to the type of dietary risk factors, but did not depend on the number of them.
Keywords: dietary risk factors; inflammatory bowel disease; nutritional status.