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Published on: February 14, 2021
Dietary Sugar and Sweetened Beverage Intake Increases Inflammatory Bowel Disease Risk: A Systematic Review and
Isha Maniyar1, Arpita Jajoo2, Gala Godoy Brewer3
1Department of Medicine, UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA.
High sugar intake, including added sugars and sweetened beverages, is linked to a greater risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Reducing sugar consumption may help lower the risk of IBD, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The relationship between dietary sugar consumption and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) risk remains unclear.
- Previous studies have yielded inconsistent findings regarding sugar intake and IBD development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze recent data on the association between sugar consumption and the risk of developing IBD.
- To clarify the specific impact of added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages on IBD risk.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, Web of Science, Scopus).
- Two independent reviewers screened 45 selected studies (11 prospective, 34 retrospective) for eligibility.
- Random effects models were used to perform meta-analyses and estimate odds ratios.
Main Results:
- Added sugar intake was significantly associated with an increased risk of Crohn's disease (OR 1.66) and ulcerative colitis (OR 1.59).
- Intake of soda and other sweetened beverages also showed a significant association with increased risk for Crohn's disease (OR 1.58) and ulcerative colitis (OR 1.72).
- Pooled analyses included data from over 500,000 and 700,000 individuals for added sugar and beverage intake, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Dietary intake of added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a higher risk of developing both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Findings suggest that reducing sugar consumption could be a potential strategy for mitigating IBD risk.
- Further prospective research is recommended to solidify these associations.
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