Dietary beliefs and information resources of ulcerative colitis patients in clinical remission: A cross-sectional survey in Taiwan

Cheng-Tzu Hsieh; Meng-Tzu Weng; Chien-Chih Tung; Nai-Chia Chen; Hui-Chuen Chen; Kuo-Liong Chien; Shu-Chen Wei

doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.07.005

Dietary beliefs and information resources of ulcerative colitis patients in clinical remission: A cross-sectional survey in Taiwan

Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2022 Oct:51:430-436. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.07.005. Epub 2022 Jul 21.

Authors

Cheng-Tzu Hsieh¹, Meng-Tzu Weng², Chien-Chih Tung³, Nai-Chia Chen⁴, Hui-Chuen Chen⁴, Kuo-Liong Chien⁵, Shu-Chen Wei⁶

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
² Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Departments of Integrated Diagnostics and Therapeutics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Dietetic, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: shuchenwei@ntu.edu.tw.

PMID: 36184239
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.07.005

Abstract

Background & aims: Despite the lack of evidence for the benefits of dietary restrictions for ulcerative colitis (UC), the majority of patients with UC restrict their diets to avoid relapses. Few studies have examined information resources that affect patients' dietary beliefs or practices, but none have investigated UC patients in clinical remission from Asia. This survey investigated the dietary beliefs, practices, and information resources of Taiwanese UC patients in clinical remission.

Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was administered. Fifty UC patients in clinical remission (defined based on having a 2-item patient-reported outcome score of ≤1 with no rectal bleeding for ≥90 days) were recruited from National Taiwan University Hospital between September 2017 and March 2018.

Results: In total, 22 patients (45.8%) believed diet to be the initiating factor for UC, and 48.0% of patients believed diet has ever triggered relapses. Forty-two patients (85.7%) avoided specific foods to prevent a relapse. Spicy foods were the most avoided foods (75.5%), following by alcohol (69.4%), carbonated beverages (63.3%), milk or milk products (59.2%), and fatty foods (59.2%). The patients' information resources for dietary beliefs and practices consisted mainly of their own experience. Approximately one-third of the patients have avoided the same menu with their family or avoided outdoor dining to prevent UC relapses.

Conclusions: This is the first dietary belief survey focusing on clinical remission UC patients from Asia. Most clinical remission UC patients spontaneously avoided specific foods based on their own experiences. Dietary restrictions may negatively affect patients' social lives. Further dietary counseling is necessary to minimize the possible negative impacts on UC patients in clinical remission.

Keywords: Dietary beliefs; Dietary practices; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Ulcerative colitis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Colitis, Ulcerative*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diet
Humans
Recurrence
Taiwan