Researchers wanted to know if eating a higher-quality diet could help people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) feel better by reducing inflammation and weight. They studied 152 adults with IBD and measured both their diet quality and inflammation levels in their blood. Surprisingly, the study found that eating a better diet didn’t seem to make a big difference in inflammation markers or weight. However, this doesn’t mean diet doesn’t matter—it just means this particular study didn’t find a strong connection. More research is needed to understand how diet really affects IBD.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating a better-quality diet helps reduce inflammation and weight in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  • Who participated: 152 adults with IBD, averaging 43 years old. Most had ulcerative colitis (a type of IBD). Researchers looked at what they ate and measured inflammation markers in their blood.
  • Key finding: The study found no clear connection between diet quality and inflammation levels or weight. When researchers adjusted for other factors, only one inflammation marker (ESR) showed a weak relationship with mid-range diet quality, but this wasn’t consistent across other measures.
  • What it means for you: While this study didn’t find diet quality strongly linked to inflammation in IBD patients, it doesn’t mean diet is unimportant. This is just one study, and other research suggests diet does play a role in managing IBD. Talk to your doctor about what foods work best for your individual situation.

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which is like taking a snapshot in time. Researchers recruited 152 adults with IBD and collected information about them all at once, rather than following them over months or years. They asked patients detailed questions about what they ate using a food frequency questionnaire (a checklist of common foods). They measured the patients’ height and weight to calculate BMI. They also took blood samples to measure four different inflammation markers: CRP, ESR, calprotectin, and ferritin. Then they calculated a Diet Quality Index (DQI) score for each person based on how well their diet matched international nutrition guidelines. Finally, they compared the diet quality scores to the inflammation levels and weight.

This approach lets researchers quickly see if there’s a connection between diet quality and inflammation without waiting years for results. However, because it’s a snapshot, it can’t prove that better diet causes lower inflammation—it can only show if they’re related. The researchers divided patients into three groups based on diet quality (low, medium, and high) to see if the groups differed in inflammation or weight.

The study included a reasonable number of participants (152) and measured multiple inflammation markers, which strengthens the findings. However, because it’s a cross-sectional study, it can’t prove cause-and-effect. The study was published in Scientific Reports, a reputable journal. One limitation is that the study only measured diet at one point in time, so it doesn’t show how diet changes affect inflammation over time. Also, most participants had ulcerative colitis rather than Crohn’s disease, so results may not apply equally to all IBD types.

What the Results Show

The main finding was surprising: there was no significant difference in inflammation markers or BMI when comparing patients with low, medium, or high diet quality scores. This held true even after researchers adjusted for other factors like age and disease type. The only exception was a weak relationship between medium diet quality and one inflammation marker called ESR, but this wasn’t strong enough to be considered clinically meaningful. The researchers tested four different inflammation markers (CRP, ESR, calprotectin, and ferritin), and only ESR showed any relationship at all. This suggests that diet quality alone may not be the main driver of inflammation in IBD patients, or that the relationship is more complicated than expected.

The study found that most participants (77%) had ulcerative colitis rather than Crohn’s disease. The average BMI was 25.4, which is considered normal to slightly overweight. The average diet quality score was 63.5 out of 100, suggesting most participants had room for dietary improvement. These details help explain who the findings apply to and what the typical IBD patient in this study looked like.

This finding is somewhat surprising because other research has suggested that diet quality matters for IBD management. Some previous studies found that certain foods trigger inflammation in IBD patients, while others found that anti-inflammatory diets help reduce symptoms. This study’s negative finding doesn’t necessarily contradict those studies—it may mean that overall diet quality (measured by the DQI) isn’t as important as specific foods or nutrients. It’s also possible that other factors like stress, medications, or genetics play bigger roles than diet quality in controlling inflammation.

The study has several important limitations. First, it’s cross-sectional, so it can’t prove that diet quality causes changes in inflammation—only that they might be related. Second, researchers only measured diet once, so they don’t know if people’s eating habits changed over time. Third, most participants had ulcerative colitis, so results may not apply as well to people with Crohn’s disease. Fourth, the study didn’t measure specific nutrients or foods, only overall diet quality, which might miss important connections. Finally, the study didn’t account for medications, which strongly affect inflammation in IBD patients.

The Bottom Line

Based on this study alone, we cannot strongly recommend that improving diet quality will reduce inflammation in IBD. However, this doesn’t mean you should ignore diet. Talk with your gastroenterologist or a dietitian about which specific foods help or hurt your symptoms. Keep a food diary to identify your personal triggers. Continue following any dietary recommendations from your medical team, as they may be based on other research or your individual needs. (Confidence level: Low—this is one study with unexpected results)

This study is most relevant to adults with IBD who are wondering if eating better will help their inflammation. It’s especially relevant if you have ulcerative colitis, since that’s what most participants had. However, the findings may not apply as strongly to people with Crohn’s disease. People without IBD don’t need to worry about these findings. If you have IBD and are considering major dietary changes, talk to your doctor first, as individual responses vary greatly.

If you do make dietary changes based on your doctor’s advice, give it at least 2-4 weeks to see if your symptoms improve. Inflammation markers in blood can take weeks to change. Keep in mind that diet is just one piece of IBD management—medications, stress, and sleep also matter significantly.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your daily diet quality by logging meals and noting any symptom changes (bloating, pain, bathroom frequency) the same day. Rate your inflammation symptoms on a 1-10 scale daily to see if patterns emerge between what you eat and how you feel.
  • Use the app to identify which specific foods trigger your symptoms, rather than focusing only on overall diet quality. Create a personal ‘safe foods’ list and an ‘avoid’ list based on your own experience. Share this with your healthcare provider.
  • Over 4-8 weeks, track which foods correlate with better or worse symptoms for you personally. Don’t rely solely on diet quality scores—focus on your individual response. Check in with your doctor monthly to discuss patterns you’ve noticed and adjust your approach as needed.

This study found no significant relationship between overall diet quality and inflammation in IBD patients, but this is one cross-sectional study and should not be interpreted as proof that diet doesn’t matter for IBD management. Individual responses to diet vary greatly. Always consult with your gastroenterologist or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have IBD. Do not use this information to replace medical advice or stop any prescribed treatments. If you have IBD symptoms, seek care from a qualified healthcare provider.