Background: Several illnesses, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, share the clinical category of "inflammatory bowel disease," which is characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal system. Symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease include colonic pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, and loss of appetite.
Aim of the Work: Our research tries to determine whether or not people with CD and UC are getting enough of certain nutrients by comparing their consumption to dietary guidelines, measuring their body composition, and looking at molecular markers of nutrition.
Materials and Methods: Ninety patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and indeterminate colitis (UD), were enrolled in this cross-sectional study at the IBD outpatient clinic in the Department of Internal Medicine at Ain Shams University Hospital. Patients filled questionnaires regarding their backgrounds, treatments, and diets.
Results: Our study showed that the majority of the chosen patients had normal body mass indexes, suggesting that malnutrition especially underweight is not widespread. There was an unfavorable ratio of essential fatty acids (FA) in our study groups compared to the most up-to-date recommendations. However, due to the widespread usage of margarine, the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) to -linolenic acid (ALA), was significantly higher than the recommended 5:1.
Conclusion: Increases in IBD prevalence coincide with the "Westernization" of eating patterns in underdeveloped nations. Suboptimal energy intake, malabsorption, enteric nutrient loss, elevated basal energy expenditure, and medicines all contribute to IBD patients' impaired nutritional status.