Association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and ulcerative colitis severity: a cross-sectional study

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasingly influenced by dietary habits. Antioxidants in the diet have been suggested to mitigate inflammatory processes associated with UC, warranting investigation into their role in disease management. This study investigates the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) and the severity of UC. In a cross-sectional study conducted at Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz, Iran, 158 UC patients were assessed. Dietary intake was evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and DTAC was calculated using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method. UC severity was measured using the Mayo Score. Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA and logistic regression, adjusting for confounders such as demographics, lifestyle, and diet-related factors. Significant variations in demographic and dietary characteristics were observed across DTAC tertiles. Compared with patients in the lowest tertile of FRAP scores, those in the highest tertile had higher employment rates (P = 0.006), were more likely to be married (P = 0.015), and had significantly greater intake of calories (P < 0.001), protein (P < 0.001), and carbohydrates (P < 0.001). Adjusted logistic regression analyses showed that participants in the highest DTAC tertile had significantly decreased odds of active UC [OR: 0.27 (95% CI: 0.09-0.85); P = 0.023]. Higher dietary antioxidant capacity was associated with lower UC severity, highlighting the potential of antioxidant-rich diets in UC management. Future longitudinal studies are needed to further explore this association.