Patients With IMIDs Have Positive Perception of Nutrition on IBD Symptom Management

The majority of patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) acknowledge the importance of nutrition and its importance on symptom management, but they need more dietary advice from health care professionals (HCPs).

“We aimed to directly collect information from patients with IMID about their dietary behaviors and their perceptions of the influence of nutrition on their disease,” explained the study authors.

Researchers invited adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, or psoriasis to participate in a study that assessed patients’ dietary knowledge and choices. The participants, 50 for each disease, completed a questionnaire developed to identify the diet regimens they were following or recommended and their perceptions of the diet and impact on their disease.

Results showed that 44% of patients changed their eating habits since receiving their diagnosis. Most patients who changed their diet were diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease and made the change on their own initiative. Patients who did not change their diet did not receive advice from their HCPs. Overall, 74% of participants reported positive consequences of nutrition on their symptoms and 60% reported negative consequences. The perceived impact of nutrition on disease symptoms varied across diseases, with patients with psoriasis experiencing positive consequences and patients with Crohn disease reporting negative ones.

“Even if differences exist across diseases, the importance of nutrition and its potential positive role in symptom management is acknowledged by the majority of the patients,” concluded the study authors. “However, there is a need and a demand from patients to receive more dietary advice,” they continued.

Reference
Pham T, Sokol H, Halioua B, et al. Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and nutrition: results from an online survey on patients' practices and perceptions. BMC Nutr. 2021;7(1):38. doi:10.1186/s40795-021-00446-y