NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A recent study confirms foods such as yogurt, rice and bananas are more frequently reported to improve inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms than most other foods. This report helps the almost 1 in 200 Americans suffering from IBD, who frequently have questions concerning their diet. Foods such as raw or uncooked vegetables, spicy foods, fruit, nuts, fried foods, milk, red meat, carbonated soft drinks, popcorn, dairy, alcohol, high-fiber foods, corn, fatty foods, seeds, coffee and beans were more frequently reported to worsen IBD symptoms.
"These findings could have immediate as well as long-term importance. Today, if a patient asks what food they can eat, their physician can state, 'These are the foods that were most commonly reported by patients to improve their symptoms,'" said gastroenterologists James D. Lewis MD, MSCE.
Dr. Lewis along with Dr. Aaron B. Cohen reported these findings in their paper titled, "Dietary Patterns and Self-Reported Associations of Diet with Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease" using patient-reported research from CCFA Partners. The paper has been published in Digestive Disease and Science.
Analysis of responses to foods that affected symptoms was performed on 2,329 respondents (1,121 CD, 597 UC, 206 UC-pouch, and 405 CD-ostomy). Across each of the IBD subtypes, approximately 70% of respondents were women and the median age was 42-49.
Prospective studies are still needed to determine whether diet influences disease course. "The ability to refer to this study and inform patients of the benefits of eating food items such as yogurt and rice might not only help improve patients' symptoms but also help the patient gain some control back over their disease," said Dr. Cohen.
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About CCFA Partners
CCFA Partners is an online registry designed to enable IBD patients to be active participants in IBD research. Over 11,000 IBD patients have enrolled to date and the goal is to enroll as many patients as possible in an online registry to help physicians obtain a better understanding of issues facing IBD patients, how patients are functioning, what they eat, and how they receive treatment in different areas of the country. Key areas of research focus within CCFA Partners include: medication adherence, diet, and other health behaviors that may influence the course of IBD.
Patient-reported data collected through the CCFA Partners registry is already providing vehicles for additional studies such as how well patients adhere to their treatment regimes and methods patients use that may help prevent relapse of disease.To learn more visit: https://cgibd.med.unc.edu/ccfapartners/about.php.
About CCFA
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is the largest voluntary non-profit health organization dedicated to finding cures for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). CCFA's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults who suffer from these diseases. The Foundation works to fulfill its mission by funding research, providing educational resources for patients and their families, medical professionals, and the public, and furnishing supportive services for those afflicted with IBD. For more information, visit www.ccfa.org, call 888-694-8872, like us on Facebook, find us on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter and Pinterest.
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