Ultra-processed foods can increase the risk of Crohn’s disease, but not ulcerative colitis (UC), according to a new study by Neeraj Narula, a professor at McMaster University.
Ultra-processed foods have chemical modifications like artificial flavors and colors. They include chicken nuggets, sodas, certain breakfast cereals, and pre-packaged candies.
The study analyzed data from five previous studies with over one million participants and found that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can cause pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms.
The causes of IBDs are not fully understood, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and microbial factors are implicated.
Ultra-processed foods can shift the microbiome towards dysbiosis, which leads the immune system to react against certain microorganisms in the bowel and trigger an inflammatory pathway that leads to Crohn’s disease.
Non-Mediterranean diets, high consumption of red meats, and diets low in fiber, zinc, and potassium are also linked to Crohn’s disease.
IBD rates have increased in North America, Europe, and newly industrialized countries of Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. This has happened along with the “westernization” of diets, including increased amounts of UPFs.
Ultra-processed foods carry other health risks, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Ultra-processed foods do not appear to be associated with the development of ulcerative colitis (UC), which is characterized by sudden, acute flare-ups of gut irritation in response to certain triggers.
Unlike UC, Crohn’s disease has a long pre-clinical phase. Patients with Crohn’s disease may have biomarkers present in their blood up to five years before they are diagnosed.
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The study was published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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