Skipping a meal, having processed food equally damaging: AIG study

HYDERABAD: A pan-India research conducted by AIG Hospitals on around 1,455 patients suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) found that 81 per cent of respondents had happened to skip a meal, which is a major factor leading to IBD. Doctors underlined that processed food was a dominant factor for poor microbiome and unhealthy gut.

The survey was conducted by the India-IBD group and was supported by 50 doctors across India. The 1,455 patients fell in two groups: paediatric and adult.

It was found that 42.1 per cent of patients were in the ‘active disease’ stage with IBD symptoms and signs, while 57.9 per cent patients were in the remission stage with partial symptoms. Around 23 per cent of people were found to experience discomfort after eating while 77 per cent of patients with a modified healthy diet were in the remission phase.

Further, 36 per cent of the respondents were from the eastern states and 32 per cent from south India, implying that the dietary habits differed geographically.

“It is estimated that over 1.5 million people will be affected by IBD in India each year. Characterised by persistent diarrhoea, abdominal pain, unintended weight loss, fatigue and rectal bleeding, diagnosis of IBD is challenging as the symptoms overlap with many other diseases including TB,” Dr Rupa Banerjee, director (IBD centre), AIG Hospitals, said.  

A book with more than 200 healthy recipes titled ‘A Gut friendly Recipe Booklet for IBD patients to lead a quality life’ was released on the occasion.

Dr Sesikeran Boindala, former director, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), addressing the gathering, said, “Avoiding highly processed food like maida, sugar and salt will make for a healthy diet. Patients with IBD need to modify their dietary habits.”

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, chairman and chief of gastroenterology, AIG hospitals, Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, said “Processed food is a major factor in affecting the microbiome. Fast food and ultra-processed food should be avoided to maintain a healthy gut. Food containing emulsifiers and preservatives create long-chain patterns in the body and are harmful to the body.”

Dr Reddy said that because of change in food habits, westernized diseases were more prominent among Indians like IBD, cancers and obesity.