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Can a high fiber diet improve bowel function and health‐related quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease?
Author(s) -
Brotherton Carol S.,
Taylor Ann Gill,
Anderson Joel G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.lb338
Subject(s) - medicine , bran , crohn's disease , quality of life (healthcare) , disease , bowel function , inflammatory bowel disease , adverse effect , physical therapy , nursing , biology , raw material , ecology
The objective of this pilot study was to test feasibility and efficacy of a dietary instruction featuring wheat bran cereal consumption and refined carbohydrate restriction in a sample of individuals with active symptoms of Crohn's disease. A 28‐day randomized, controlled, single‐blind design was used to measure health‐related quality of life and gastrointestinal function over time in the intervention group ( n = 4) and the attention control group ( n = 3). Results demonstrated that consuming one‐half cup of wheat bran once a day was feasible and caused no adverse effects. Participants consuming wheat bran reported improved health‐related quality of life ( p = 0.028) and gastrointestinal function ( p = 0.008) compared to the attention control group that received general dietary instructions. A 44‐point increase on the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire demonstrated a clinically significant change. This study supports the idea that, in the absence of contraindications, a dietary pattern featuring daily consumption of concentrated wheat bran cereal and refined carbohydrate restriction can be easily adopted by individuals with moderately active symptoms of Crohn's disease and may improve health‐related quality of life and decrease or eliminate gastrointestinal symptoms. This study was supported by grant number F31‐NRO11121 from the National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health.