The following is a summary of “Impact of Dietary Interventions on the Microbiota in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review,” published in the December 2023 issue of Gastroenterology by Nieva et al.
Western-style diets, rich in processed foods and low in fiber, may contribute to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by promoting an unhealthy gut microbiome.
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis to dissect the link between diet, gut bacteria in IBD patients, and potential impacts on disease flares.
They searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from January 2013 to June 2023 to find studies on diet and microbiota in IBD.
The results showed that 13 primary studies meeting the inclusion criteria were subjected to narrative synthesis. The reported connections between diet and microbiota in IBD exhibited conflicting results, attributed to substantial heterogeneity across the studies. Among the nine intervention studies that tested specific diets, no significant shifts were observed in the diversity and abundance of intestinal microbial communities, nor were there improvements in disease outcomes. In the remaining four cross-sectional studies, no specific microbial signature was linked to habitual dietary patterns in IBD patients.
Investigators concluded that limited evidence exists for specific dietary patterns or food components linked to gut bacteria profiles or disease markers in IBD patients.
Source: academic.oup.com/ecco-jcc/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad204/7475690