*EMBARGOED All research presented at the 2023 ACG Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course is strictly embargoed until Sunday, October 22, 2023, at 3:00 pm PT.
P2190 – The Association Between Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Monday, October 23, 2023 | 10:30 AM – 4:15 PM PT | Location: Exhibit Hall
Author Insight from Eric M. Hecht, MD, PhD, Institute of Etiological Research, Boca Raton, FL
What’s new here and important for clinicians?
This meta-analysis synthesizes the data from several large longitudinal cohort studies. It would therefore not be new to state that we discovered an association between ultra-processed food consumption and inflammatory bowel disease. It would however be new to state that the data from these studies show a consistent association of roughly the same magnitude between this exposure and outcome. This reproducibility across studies strengthens the observation that there is likely a real association between the consumption of ultra-processed food and the development of inflammatory bowel disease. Causation is a term that must be used cautiously in epidemiological research, but we can say that these data are the highest level of evidence we are likely to obtain in asserting that ultra-processed food consumption is linked to IBD development.
What do patients need to know?
The current intake of UPF in the United States is roughly 60% of calories consumed. It is possible that this level of consumption puts individuals at risk for the development of IBD.
Author Contact
Eric M. Hecht, MD, PhD, Institute of Etiological Research, Boca Raton, FL
hechte [at] me.com
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