Plant diets and IBD

Entry

IBD is a chronic condition that includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, characterized by persistent intestinal inflammationPain and diarrhea. Without a known medicine, it significantly reduces the quality of life, while imposing significant financial and social burdens.

Western style diets, which are rich in animal food, have been associated with an increased risk of IBD. Some evidence suggests that plant food can encourage favorable activity of microorganisms in the intestines, potentially producing the necessary nutrients that support intestinal health.

Plant diets differ significantly; Some are completely from plants, while others include limited products of animal origin. Even therapeutic diets, such as a diet excluding Crohn’s disease (CDED), include animal proteins.

Studies indicate that animal food can reduce the favorable activity of microorganisms in the intestines, increasing the possibility that the modification of diet patterns can help prevent IBD or manage.

Previous studies of plant diets and IBD did not fully take into account the consumption of animal products simultaneously. This study was aimed at solving this gap by analyzing data from two large population tests: UK Biobank (UKB, 2009–2022) and European prospective research on cancer and nutrition (Epic, 1991–2010).

The study covered 187 888 and 341 539 participants, respectively, all of whom were free from IBD at the beginning. Participants were attracted from eight European countries.

Classification of diet and plant indexes

Participants’ diets have been categorized on the basis of plant indexes (PDIS), distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy plant diets. Diet patterns were evaluated by means of 24-hour withdrawal and food frequency questionnaires (for UKB and EPIC, respectively).

PDI classifies eating habits for three categories:

1. General PDI – It covers all plant foods without distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy options.
2. Healthy PDI -He evaluates plant foods with the density of nutrients, while assigning negative results to refined grains, potatoes, sweet drinks and desserts.
3. Unhealthy PDI -Dotyly assesses less nutritious plant foods, while reducing the results for healthier plant options.

Animal foods – including eggs, dairy products and fish – were negatively rated in all PDI. Diet results ranged from 1 (lowest consumption) to 5 (highest consumption). In addition, sensitivity analyzes considered a “healthy omnivorous diet”, which included healthy plant food with eggs, dairy products and fish.

Results: Healthy PDI lowers the risk of IBD

In the median of the observation period of 11.6 years for UKB and 14.5 years for EPIC, 925 and 548 new IBD cases, respectively.

• Participants of the highest healthy quintile PDI had a 25% lower IBD risk in the UKB and 29% lower risk in the epic cohort compared to those in the lowest quintile.
• And vice versa, the highest quintile of unhealthy PDI was associated with a 48% higher IBD risk in the UKB group and a 54% higher risk in the epic cohort compared to the lowest quintile.
• When individual foods were analyzed, potatoes and sweets were associated with a higher risk of IBD, while fruit and full grains were associated with lower risk.

PDI and IBD forecasts

Of the 2133 IBD patients in the study, the risk of IBD surgery was more than twice as high in the highest unhealthy PDI fifth compared to the lowest. And vice versa, patients in the highest healthy quintile PDI had half the risk of the requirement of surgery compared to patients with the lowest quintile.

However, no significant connections were found between PDI results and long-term complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or mortality. The influence of PDI seemed most clear in people with moderate to high genetic susceptibility to IBD, which suggests that anti -inflammatory The effects of plant food can partly explain the observed benefits.

A healthy omnivorous diet and IBD

A healthy omnidient diet was also associated with a 29% lower risk of IBD between the highest and lowest quintils, even after taking into account the ultra-processed consumption of food and IBD drugs.

Conclusions

This study emphasizes the potential benefits Healthy plant diets When I reduce IBD risk and improve the results for people with the disease. Positive effects are probably caused Anti -inflammatory properties vegetable food rich in nutrients, especially in people with genetic predisposition to IBD.

However, not all plant diets offer the same benefits. Some, especially those high in refined grains, sweet food and processed plant products, can actually increase the risk of IBD. Discoveries emphasize the meaning Dietary guidelines which promotes the awareness of both Healthy and unhealthy plant diets among patients with IBD.

Future research should examine specific mechanisms that drive these differences and assess the impact of different food categories based on intestinal health and a general metabolic function.