Diet analysis of patients with inflammatory bowel disease in China

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission. During remission, managing lifestyle factors, including diet, becomes crucial for maintaining patients’ well-being. This study aimed to assess the home dietary habits of IBD patients and identify dietary patterns that could potentially worsen their condition, to offer individualized dietary recommendations for IBD management. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 157 IBD patients who visited a tertiary hospital in Shanghai between January 2022 and April 2023. Participants were selected based on inclusion criteria, such as confirmed IBD diagnosis and willingness to participate. The Chinese Healthy Diet Index (CHDI) was employed to evaluate their home diet patterns. Additionally, purposeful sampling was used to select a set of participants for semi-structured interviews, which explored factors influencing dietary choices. These interviews focused on disease-related dietary knowledge, family and social environment, economic support, and health awareness, providing a comprehensive view of the factors affecting diet in IBD patients. The mean CHDI score for IBD patients was 56.27 ± 9.58, indicating sub-optimal adherence to dietary guidelines. Dietary intake rates for whole grains, mixed beans and tubers, vegetables, fruits, dairy, fish, and soy products were notably low, all under 20%. These findings suggest a need for targeted dietary education and support. The study highlights the importance of improving disease-specific dietary knowledge and access to social support to enhance dietary management and reduce the risk of IBD exacerbation.