Author(s)

Vanessa Rosa Brito Oliveira, Raquel Rocha, Mirella Brasil Lopes, Fernanda Gomes Coqueiro, Naiade Silveira Almeida, Sandra Santos Valois, Genoile Oliveira Santana

Department of Sciences of Nutrition, School of Nutrition, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Gastroenterology Unit, University Hospital Professor Edgard Santos, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.

Inflammatory bowel disease patients reduce their intake of foods rich in dietary fibers in an attempt to prevent recurrence of the disease, predisposing these patients to nutritional losses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intake of dietary fiber and associated factors in a group of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This was a cross-sectional study with 61 inflammatory bowel disease patients, and all participants were outpatients in Salvador, Bahia. Patients completed a semi-structured questionnaire that included questions about demographics, socioeconomic status and anthropometric and clinical information and a food frequency questionnaire to assess the intake of dietary fiber. The mean intake of dietary fiber was 28.2 ± 14.8 g/day for inflammatory bowel disease patients, 27.9 ± 10.1 g/day for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 28.9 ± 21.1 g/days for those with Crohn’s disease (CD) (p > 0.05). Most inflammatory bowel disease patients (52.5%) had intake below that recommended for dietary fiber. Inadequate consumption was present in 56.3% of CD patients and 43.8% of those with UC (p = 0.28). Men had lower fiber intake than women (p = 0.04). No significant associations between fiber intake and disease activity, location, presence of complications, gastrointestinal complaints, and nutrition counseling were found (p > 0.05). The low intake of dietary fiber was present in most patients, and the greatest inadequacy was found in males. Insufficient intake of dietary fiber appears to be linked to demographic features and not necessarily clinical characteristics relevant to inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Dietary Fiber, Eating

Oliveira, V. , Rocha, R. , Lopes, M. , Coqueiro, F. , Almeida, N. , Valois, S. and Santana, G. (2014) Factors Associated with Low Intake of Dietary Fiber in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients. Health, 6, 1300-1309. doi: 10.4236/health.2014.611159.