High Dietary Intake of Fish and Vegetables in Infancy May Protect Against IBD
A recent study conducted at the University of Gothenburg suggests that having a high dietary intake of fish and vegetables at 1 year of age, along with a low intake of sugary beverages, may provide protection against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study, which involved more than 80,000 children, aimed to investigate the potential impact of dietary patterns on the development of IBD.
The global increase in IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, lacks a clear explanation. However, it is believed that dietary habits can influence the gut microbiota, particularly during the early years of life, thus contributing to the rise in IBD cases. While previous research has explored the relationship between dietary patterns and IBD in adults, there is a scarcity of studies focusing on children’s diets and their connection to IBD.
The study’s analysis incorporated dietary information from 81,280 1-year-olds in Sweden and Norway, sourced from the All Children in Southeastern Sweden (ABIS) and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Parents provided specific details about their children’s diets at 12-18 and 30-36 months of age. Diet quality was evaluated using a child-friendly version of the Healthy Eating Index tool, which assessed the overall quality of the diet based on the intake of various food groups.
The findings indicated that a higher quality diet, characterized by increased consumption of vegetables, fruit, dairy products, and fish, as well as reduced intake of meat, sweets, snacks, and sweet drinks, was associated with a lower risk of developing IBD. Furthermore, high fish intake at the age of 1 year was linked to a 54% lower risk of ulcerative colitis, while a high intake of vegetables at the same age was associated with a reduced overall risk of IBD. In contrast, a high intake of sugar beverages was correlated with a 42% increased risk of IBD.
The study also considered factors such as breastfeeding, formula intake, and exposure to antibiotics. The health of the children was monitored from the age of 1 for an average of 21 years for the ABIS cohort and 15 years for the MoBa cohort, until the end of 2020/2021. During this period, 307 participants were diagnosed with IBD, with 131 cases of Crohn’s disease, 97 cases of ulcerative colitis, and 79 cases classified as unclassified IBD.
These findings support the hypothesis that early dietary habits, particularly the consumption of fish, vegetables, and sugary beverages, can have a significant impact on the development of IBD in later years. The study’s results contribute to the growing body of evidence emphasizing the importance of early childhood nutrition in reducing the risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
