Dietary patterns and risk for Crohn's disease in children.
BACKGROUND
Some dietary foods are considered protective (vegetables and fruits), whereas others (fatty foods) are thought to enhance the risk for Crohn's disease (CD). The evidence, however, is inconsistent.


METHODS
We postulated that specific dietary patterns may influence the risk for CD. A case-control study was carried out. Newly diagnosed CD cases with population and/or hospital-based controls < or =20 years were selected from 3 tertiary hospitals across Canada. Pre-disease diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) administered within 1 month of diagnosis. Factor analyses and unconditional logistic regression (adjusted) was used to determine gender-specific dietary patterns and assess associated risks for CD. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated.


RESULTS
A total of 149 cases and 251 controls were included. The mean age (range) of the cases was 13.3 (2.6-20 years). There were more boys (61.1%). Four dietary patterns each were observed among both boys and girls. Pattern 1 in girls, characterized by meats, fatty foods, and desserts, was positively associated with CD (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.6-14.2). Pattern 2, common to both boys and girls, was characterized by vegetables, fruits, olive oil, fish, grains, and nuts and was inversely associated with CD in both genders (girls: OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.9; boys: OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that specific dietary patterns could be associated with higher or lower risks for CD in children. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.
D'Souza
Savio
S
Department of Nutrition, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Levy
Emile
E
Mack
David
D
Israel
David
D
Lambrette
Philippe
P
Ghadirian
Parviz
P
Deslandres
Colette
C
Morgan
Kenneth
K
Seidman
Ernest G
EG
Amre
Devendra K
DK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors