Diet and inflammatory bowel disease: a case-control study.
We conducted a population-based case-control study of inflammatory bowel disease and dietary habits in Stockholm during 1984-1987. We obtained retrospective information about food intake 5 years previously by a postal questionnaire for 152 cases with Crohn's disease, 145 cases with ulcerative colitis, and 305 controls. The relative risk of Crohn's disease was increased for subjects who had a high (55 gm or more per day) intake of sucrose (relative risk = 2.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.4-5.0) and was decreased for subjects who had a high (15 gm or more per day) intake of fiber (relative risk = 0.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.3-0.9). The most striking finding was an increased relative risk of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis associated with consumption of fast foods: the relative risk associated with consumption of fast foods at least two times a week was estimated at 3.4 (95% confidence interval = 1.3-9.3) for Crohn's disease and 3.9 (95% confidence interval = 1.4-10.6) for ulcerative colitis. Although coffee seemed to provide a protective effect for both diseases, there are reasons to consider this finding an artifact.
Persson
P G
PG
Department of Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ahlbom
A
A
Hellers
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003069:Coffee; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D003069:Coffee; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber