Processed food consumption increases risk for IBD development
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Increased consumption of processed foods correlated with the development of inflammatory bowel disease, according to a presentation at Digestive Disease Week.
“Although there have been many associations reported, there remains many confounding factors that makes the establishment of a clear cause [of IBD] very difficult. Diet has been hypothesized to play an integral role in the pathogenesis of IBD and epidemiological trends have demonstrated rises of incidence in IBD in countries where the diseases were previously uncommon,” Neeraj Narula, MD, MPH, FRCPC, McMaster University, Population Health Research Institute, said. “Dietary changes including increased intake of dietary fats and refined sugar and decreases in fiber intake have all been suggested as potential risk factors for development of IBD.”
In an observational cohort study, researchers analyzed 116,087 individuals (aged 35-70 years) to investigate the association between processed food consumption with IBD diagnosis. Country-specific validated food frequency questionnaires assessed processed food intake; researchers followed-up with participants every 3 years.
During a median follow-up period of 9.7 years, researchers noted 90 CD diagnoses and 377 UC diagnoses. Processed food intake of greater than five servings per day and one to four servings per day correlated with a higher risk for IBD compared with less than one serving per day (HR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.22-2.72; HR = 1.67; 95% CI, 1.18-2.37, respectively vs. HR = 1; 95% CI, 1-1).
“Higher processed food intake is associated with a higher risk of IBD with risk seen within all categories of ultra-processed foods,” Narula concluded. “Further studies are needed to identify what are the potential culprits within processed foods.”
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Narula N, et al. Abstract 393. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week; May 21-23 (virtual meeting).
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