Nutrition Assessment and Management in Celiac Disease.

Celiac disease (CeD) is the most common immune condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract; it is triggered by gluten and the only available treatment is a strict gluten-free diet (GFD). Therefore, for patients with CeD, adopting a GFD is not a lifestyle choice. The major problem is that a GFD is restrictive and, like all restrictive diets, it has the potential for adverse nutritional outcomes, especially if adopted for a long term. It is well known that GFD can be nutritionally inadequate and is frequently associated with vitamin and mineral deficiencies; it is also associated with excessive sugar and fat intake, particularly when gluten-free substitutes are consumed. Consequently, people with CeD are affected by higher rates of overweight and obesity and metabolic complications, such as fatty liver and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, assessment of nutritional status and diet quality at diagnosis and while on a long-term GFD is key in the management of CeD. This narrative review addresses nutritional considerations in CeD and management of common challenges associated with a GFD.

Using Diet to Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: To review the efficacy of various dietary interventions for induction of clinical remission in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and provide healthcare providers with a practical reference for recommending suitable diets for managing patients with IBD. METHODS: PubMed, Medline(R), and Cochrane were searched from inception up to February 17, 2023, to identify all studies reporting information on using diet to treat IBD. Studies investigating the role of dietary interventions in adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of active IBD for improvement or remission of IBD symptoms were rigorously considered. Sample meal plans, with a list of included and excluded foods, were also generated to provide clinicians with practical tools for advising patients on dietary intake. RESULTS: Eleven included studies provided data on 10 distinct diets: autoimmune protocol diet, high-fiber diet, 4-strategies-to-SUlfide-Reduction diet, highly restricted diet, McMaster elimination diet for Crohn's disease, specific carbohydrate diet, Mediterranean diet, Crohn's disease exclusion diet, individualized elimination diet, and the food-specific IgG4-guided exclusion diet. A total of 9 studies provided data on clinical remission. Many of these diets share common elements, such as an initial elimination phase with subsequent reintroduction of dietary components, inclusion of whole foods, and exclusion of highly or ultraprocessed foods. DISCUSSION: Currently, there is limited evidence to support the use of specific diets to treat adult patients with mildly to moderately active IBD. Larger, randomized studies with standardized methodologies and outcome measures, rigorous adherence assessment, and an emphasis on endoscopic assessment outcome measures are required to validate most diets that have been studied for IBD. The included sample diet plans and dietary recommendations may prove helpful in the interim as part of a holistic strategy to manage patients with IBD.

Comment on Chao, H.-C. Zinc Deficiency and Therapeutic Value of Zinc Supplementation in Pediatric Gastrointestinal Diseases. Nutrients 2023, 15, 4093.

We appreciate the recent review article by Chao H.-C. [...].