The Role of Dietary Habits in the Pathogenesis and Development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic immune-mediated disease. The incidence of IBD is influenced by various genetic and environmental factors, with dietary habits gaining significant scientific interest. While the role of diet in the pathogenesis and development of IBD is still debated, recent studies have demonstrated its potential impact. However, conflicting findings exist regarding the efficacy of dietary interventions in the treatment and control of IBD. This review aimed to summarize the current understanding of the relationship between diet and IBD, highlighting the different perspectives and reasonings observed in recent studies. Overall, it has been shown that dietary habits play a role in the incidence of IBD, and adopting a controlled dietary approach may help manage the disease. Consequently, diet can be considered a predictive and prognostic factor in IBD.