This review highlights the importance of dietary fibres (DF) intake and its interconnection with the gut microbiome and psychological well-being, while also exploring the effects of existing DF interventions on these aspects in adults. The gut microbiota is a complex and diverse ecosystem in which microbial species interact, influencing the human host. DF are heterogeneous, requiring different microbial species to degrade the complex DF structures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Gastroenterol Hepatol
September 2025
In recent years, nutrition and dietetics have evolved from playing a supporting role in inflammatory bowel disease care to becoming an integral part of the treatment approach. Nutrition and dietary treatments address malnutrition, which is known to be highly prevalent in inflammatory bowel disease patients, reduce active inflammation, provide symptom relief, and enhance quality of life. Patients believe that nutrition-based strategies are an important part of their disease management but generally have difficulty accessing specialist nutrition advice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: To describe (1) dietary intake, food avoidance and adequacy, and (2) physical activity levels and barriers among New Zealand adults with inflammatory bowel disease.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey comprising four questionnaires collecting data on demographics, disease activity index, dietary intake and physical activity levels was distributed. Exclusion criteria applied to those who were pregnant/lactating, with a stoma or pouch, or on enteral/parenteral nutrition.
Background & Aims: Inadequate dietary fibre (DF) intake is associated with suboptimal gut function and increased risk of several human diseases. Bread is commonly consumed and is ideal to incorporate cereal bran to increase DF content. No human studies have investigated the effects of defatted rice bran (DRB) in bread, which has triple the DF of white bread, purported hypo-allergenicity and a unique nutrient profile, as a dietary intervention in healthy adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Inadequate dietary fiber (DF) intake is associated with several human diseases. Bread is commonly consumed, and its DF content can be increased by incorporating defatted rice bran (DRB).
Objective: This first human study on DRB-fortified bread primarily aims to assess the effect of DRB-fortified bread on the relative abundance of a composite of key microbial genera and species in fecal samples.
Preoperative exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) improves nutritional status, reduces intestinal inflammation, and likely improves surgical outcomes. Crohn's disease exclusion diet with partial enteral nutrition (CDED) also reduces intestinal inflammation but its safety preoperatively is unknown. This single-blinded, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of three preoperative nutritional therapies aimed to assess the feasibility of recruiting and retaining patients and collecting primary and secondary effectiveness outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: This research aimed to assess the rate and reliability of routine nurse-completed malnutrition screening and report the prevalence of malnutrition risk on admission to Christchurch Hospital.
Methods: Student dietitians administered the Malnutrition Screening Tool to patients in three speciality wards within 48 h of admission. Student dietitians' Malnutrition Screening Tool scores were compared against documented nurse-completed Malnutrition Screening Tool scores.
Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr
May 2023
Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, incurable and relapsing disease involving any part of the gastrointestinal tract and exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is first-line therapy. Few studies have examined the patient experience of EEN. The aim of this study was to assess the child' s experiences of EEN, to identify problematic themes and understand the child's mindset.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: Nutritional therapies for inflammatory bowel disease are increasingly recommended. This study aimed to gain insight from patients, dietitians and gastroenterologists into inflammatory bowel disease dietetic care in New Zealand.
Methods: Mixed-methods surveys were developed and then distributed online to patients with inflammatory bowel disease and dietitians and gastroenterologists that care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Background And Aim: The identification of, and timely intervention for, patients with impaired nutritional status may reduce inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) complications. This study aimed to develop and validate an IBD-specific nutrition self-screening tool (IBD-NST) that identifies patients at nutrition risk.
Methods: An expert IBD panel was consulted to support development of an IBD-NST.
J Crohns Colitis
May 2023
Background And Aims: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] are often affected during their reproductive years and may have many perinatal queries that require the comprehensive perspectives of a multidisciplinary team [MDT]. The purpose of this topical review is to assess the scientific evidence and provide expert opinion related to nutritional, psychological and supportive care of women and their infants throughout the prenatal, antenatal and infant periods.
Methods: A consensus expert panel of a paediatrician, gastroenterologists, nurses and dietitians was convened by the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation.
Food-related quality of life (FR-QoL) is impaired in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and education and support on food-related issues in IBD is needed. This feasibility trial aimed to investigate the effectiveness and acceptability of a web resource in enhancing FR-QoL in newly diagnosed IBD. Patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis in the preceding 12 months, with an impaired FR-QoL, were recruited and randomised to either receive access to the web resource (covering IBD-specific diet concerns) or no access (control group) for 12 weeks, while receiving usual clinical care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic constipation is highly prevalent worldwide and may be managed with two green or three gold kiwifruit daily. It is unknown whether a smaller standard serve of gold kiwifruit (two daily) is as effective in constipation management. The study aimed to improve chronic constipation with two gold kiwifruit and psyllium in lieu of a placebo daily over four weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(1) The nutritional status of children with Crohn’s disease (CD) is rarely described. This study aimed to assess the dietary intake and blood micronutrient status of children with CD compared with their healthy, shared-environment siblings. (2) Methods: This observational study included children with CD (cases) and their shared-environment siblings (controls).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Despite increased awareness of diet and nutrition being integral to the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there are gaps in the knowledge of IBD healthcare providers regarding nutrition. Furthermore, high quality evidence on nutritional assessment and dietary management of IBD is limited. A Delphi consensus from a panel of experts allows for best-practice guidelines to be developed, especially where high quality evidence is limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflamm Bowel Dis
December 2022
Background: Food-related quality of life (FRQoL) encompasses the psychosocial elements of eating and drinking. The FRQoL of children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease has not yet been assessed. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of the validated FR-Qol-29 instrument in children with Crohn's disease (CD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic diarrhoea affects up to 14% of adults, it impacts on quality of life and its cause can be variable. Patients with chronic diarrhoea are presented with a plethora of dietary recommendations, often sought from the internet or provided by those who are untrained or inexperienced. In this review, we summarise the possible causes of chronic diarrhoea that can be managed by diet, the symptom improvement and quality of life benefits but also the potential risks of such dietary treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMalnutrition is common in patients with Crohn's disease and negatively influences immunity and quality of life. The optimal tools for nutrition assessment in patients with Crohn's disease are not clearly defined and lead to variations in practice. With this review, we aimed to appraise the existing evidence for nutrition assessment of patients with Crohn's disease compared with healthy controls and provide a comprehensive guide with relevant measures applicable to clinical practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aim: Impaired health-related quality of life and higher rates of anxiety and depression are observed in patients with Crohn's disease. This single center study aimed to describe and compare longitudinal psychological outcomes of newly diagnosed Crohn's disease patients treated with standard care or enteral nutrition to induce remission.
Methods: Two separate cohorts of patients were recruited from one center and treated with standard care ( = 22) or enteral nutrition ( = 18) to induce disease remission.
Background: High-dose oral vitamin D (stoss) is a novel treatment in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Vitamin D supplementation may have benefits in IBD beyond bone health including reduced disease activity and improvements in inflammatory markers. The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the efficacy, safety and impact on disease activity of single oral high-dose vitamin D3 therapy in New Zealand (NZ) children with IBD and vitamin D deficiency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aim: Enteral nutrition (EN) is not commonly used for the treatment of adults with active Crohn's disease (CD), despite patient interest in nutrition-based alternatives to corticosteroids and evidence of efficacy in paediatric CD. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of 2 different EN regimens on disease symptoms, nutrition and inflammatory markers in young adults with active CD.
Methods: A prospective non-randomized pilot study of adults aged 16-40 years with active CD on endoscopy or imaging was undertaken.