The Association Between Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern and Disease Activity and Quality of Life in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study Publisher



Ramezani E ; Nikkhah M ; Teymoori F ; Morvaridi M ; Vafa M ; Daryani N E
Source: International Journal of Preventive Medicine Published:2026

Abstract

Background: Diets with higher inflammatory potential may partially worsen inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to investigate the association between a diet’s proinflammatory potential based on empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP) score, IBD activity score, and patient’s quality of life. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 475 outpatients with IBD. We assessed the EDIP score, which consists of 14 dietary parameters using a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The short form of quality of life of inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire-9 (IBDQ-9), simple clinical colitis activity index questionnaire (SCCAI), the Crohn’s disease activity index questionnaire (SCDAI), the international physical activity questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire were also completed. Results: The beta coefficient of specific disease activity scores per each unit increment in the EDIP score was -2.31 (-64.0, 59.2) P value of 0.9 and -0.72 (-1.98, 0.54) P value of 0.2 in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients, respectively, based on the final model of regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, physical activity, education level, marital status, disease duration, and energy intake. The beta coefficient of quality of life in all participants per each unit increment in the EDIP score was -14.1 (-20.0, -8.2) P value of < 0.001 after adjustments mentioned above. Conclusion: Dietary adjustments may modulate patients’ quality of life with IBD. It should be confirmed by further studies with, well-designed studies. © 2026 International Journal of Preventive Medicine.