A Healthy Plant-Based Diet Linked to Reduced Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Recent research published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research highlights the potential protective effects of a healthy plant-based diet against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The large-scale prospective study analyzed dietary habits of 143,434 individuals in the UK over an average period of 14.5 years. During this time, 1,117 participants developed IBD, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The findings revealed that those adhering to a healthy plant-based diet had an 8% lower risk of developing ulcerative colitis and a 14% lower risk of Crohn's disease. Conversely, consuming an unhealthy plant-based diet, characterized by high intake of vegetable oils and animal fats, was linked with a 15% increased risk of Crohn's disease. The research underscores the importance of fruits and vegetables, which were identified as protective factors against IBD. Blood analysis suggested that the anti-inflammatory properties of plant foods could explain these benefits, supporting dietary strategies for IBD prevention. Dr. Zhe Shen from Zhejiang University School of Medicine emphasized that incorporating anti-inflammatory plant foods may offer a protective effect against such gastrointestinal conditions.