Diet of South Asians with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

The diet of South Asian patients with inflammatory bowel disease was studied using a postal questionnaire and compared with controls matched for age and ethnic group. Hindus with Crohn's disease are sweets significantly more often than either healthy controls (chi 2 = 13.0, P < 0.005) or Hindus who had ulcerative colitis (chi 2 = 9.8, P < 0.05). Hindus with ulcerative colitis were significantly less likely to drink milk than their matched controls (chi 2 = 7.4, P < 0.01). Hindu patients were also less likely to use spices and eat flour than controls (chi 2 = 12.5, P < 0.005). No difference was found in the diets of patients belonging to other religious groups and controls. This study again suggests that a high intake of refined carbohydrate is associated with Crohn's disease, while patients with ulcerative colitis have significantly altered their traditional diet.