The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Mediterranean Diet (IBDMED) Microbiome-targeting Nutritional Education Program

The rising incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), especially in the newly industrialized nations of Asia, highlights the possible role of environmental triggers such as diet and the gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The Mediterranean diet (MED) has been previously correlated with beneficial outcomes in several chronic and immune-mediated diseases and has been linked with positive outcomes in IBD. However, consumption of high fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts may be challenging for patients with IBD without tight dietary guidance and support.

The IBDMED nutritional education program aims to improve the adherence of patients with IBD to MED. Patients are educated on how to implement and incorporate MED principles into their daily lifestyle, by providing information, tips, practical tools, cooking methods and recipes, that are available on an interactive website and application. Patients are monitored for their diet, sleep, physical activity and stress levels via fitness trackers and questionnaires developed for this study and receive feedback and personal recommendations from the study dietitians along the way.

This RCT will assess the feasibility and effects of an 8-week IBDMED nutritional and lifestyle education program vs. the nutritional standard of care in patients with newly diagnosed CD and in healthy subjects in Israel and India.


Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with early CD, defined as up to 12 months from diagnosis
2. Inflammatory (B1) phenotype, specifically-no known fibrostenotic (B2) or internal penetrating (B3) disease. No known perianal disease (p). Any CD location will be included (L1-4)
3. Patients with mild CD as measured by HBI 5-7 or CDAI 150-220 or patients with HBI\<5 or CDAI\<150 with at least one additional objective measure of inflammation: 1. inflammatory biomarkers: elevated CRP or fecal calprotectin at enrollment; active disease by endoscopy or VCE performed up to 12 weeks prior to enrollment; active inflammation demonstrated by imaging (CTE, MRE, IUS) performed up to 12 weeks prior to enrollment.
4. Any stable concomitant CD therapy is allowed. 5-ASA (stable dose for at least 2 weeks), steroids (budesonide or any non topical corticosteroids)-stable dose for at least 2 weeks: prednisone up to 20 mg/day or budesonide up to 6 mg/day; immunomodulators (stable dose for 8 weeks) and/ or anti-TNFs at least 4 weeks after the end of induction or any optimization; anti integrins at least 4 weeks after the end of induction or any optimization; anti IL12/IL23 at least 4 weeks after the end of induction or any optimization; None of the above. For inclusion in a non-steroid group, a 2-week washout period will be required.
5. TB evaluation was done in the Indian population
6. For India-Hindi/Telugu speakers
7. Willing and able to sign an informed consent form
8. Willing and able to participate and adhere to IBDMED program

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Pregnant women
2. Diabetes mellitus
3. Any previous gastrointestinal surgery (except appendectomy)
4. Antibiotic therapy during the 4 weeks prior to enrollment. After enrollment, a non-CD short course of antibiotics will be allowed, if prescribed
5. Any concomitant disease or treatment that according to the treating physician considerations interferes with patient safety or study outcomes (specifically-uncontrolled thyroid disease, renal failure)
6. Undernutrition or need for enteral nutrition supplementation according to the treating dietitian