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DRMajor new study on diet and IBD - here’s what you need to know:
Researchers from Harvard, MIT, King’s College London, and Oxford followed over 570,000 people for more than a decade to see how diet impacts the risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (IBD).
They looked at how closely people followed a healthy plant-based diet — high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and low in animal products, processed foods, and added sugar.
Here’s what they found:
People with the healthiest plant-based diets were:
- 23% less likely to develop Crohn’s disease
- 17% less likely to develop ulcerative colitis
Among people who already had IBD:
- Those with a healthier plant-based diet were 25% less likely to be hospitalised
- 21% less likely to require steroid treatment
- And had a trend toward fewer surgeries
The researchers concluded:
“Encouraging greater adherence to a healthy plant-based dietary pattern may be an effective strategy to lower the incidence of IBD and reduce the burden of disease among patients already diagnosed.”
Take home: A diet rich in whole plant foods could help prevent IBD - and may also lead to better long-term outcomes for those already living with the disease.
⚠️ My important caveat: If you’re living with IBD - especially if you have a stoma, strictures, or active disease - always speak to your dietitian or specialist before making significant changes to your diet. Individualised advice is key
Citation: Composition of plant-based diets and the incidence and prognosis of inflammatory bowel disease: a multinational retrospective cohort study.
Jie Chen et al. The Lancet Regional Health. Europe. 2025. PMID: 40166364
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