Positive Health Online

Abstract

RIORDAN and colleagues, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge reviewed the available literature (41 references) regarding associations between onset of Crohns disease and intakes of sugars or sugar-containing foods.

Background

Methodology

The authors reviewed all publications from refereed journals which reported intakes of sugars and sugar-containing foods in the context of Crohns disease onset or treatment.

Results

The evidence suggesting that there is a relationship between sugars and the onset of Crohns disease was inconsistent and subject to important methodological limitations. There was a clear lack of distinction between the reporting of current, as compared to retrospective intakes.

Conclusion

There appears to be no clinical advantage to the use of reduced sugar diets in Crohns disease treatment.

References

Riordan AM et al. A review of associations between Crohns disease and consumption of sugars. Eur J Clin Nutr 52(4): 229-38 Apr 1998.

Comment

Because there are methodological limitations in the studies does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that there is no clinical advantage to use of reduced sugar in diets in patients with Crohns disease. The overconsumption of sugar is being implicated in a major fashion in many health problems, including obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes. Many nutritional practitioners report favourable outcomes with patients whose diets are altered to a more wholefood-based and especially without excess simple sugars. I have not reviewed the papers found by the authors search of the literature, but my hunch is that improving the diets of patients with Crohns disease must have positive results.