The role of mediterranean diet and highly processed foods in inflammatory bowel diseases.

BACKGROUND

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is considered a balanced dietary model, whereas high consumption of highly processed foods (HPF) may worsen metabolic health. We aimed to compare adherence to the MD and HPF consumption between patients with Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), and to assess their relationship with disease activity. A secondary objective was to explore the association between dietary patterns and metabolic parameters.

METHODS

Adherence to the MD was assessed using the Pyramid Mediterranean Diet Score (PyrMDS), while HPF intake was evaluated with the short questionnaire on highly processed foods (sQ-HPF).

RESULTS

193 consecutive IBD patients were included. CD patients showed significantly lower adherence to the MD compared with UC patients (median PyrMDS 9.3 vs 9.8, p = 0.02), while HPF consumption was similar in both groups (median sQ-HPF 3). In CD patients, a trend toward an inverse correlation was observed between MD adherence and disease activity (p = 0.07). Higher HPF consumption was positively associated with metabolic syndrome (median sQ-HPF 4 vs 3, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

CD patients exhibit lower adherence to the MD, particularly during periods of higher disease activity, while greater HPF intake is linked to adverse metabolic profiles. Tailored nutritional counseling is important for supporting healthier dietary patterns in individuals with IBD.