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REVIEW article

Front. Nutr.
Sec. Clinical Nutrition
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1378415
This article is part of the Research Topic Nutritional Factors in the Development and Prognosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) View all 5 articles

Dietary content and eating behavior in UC: A Narrative Review and Future Perspective

Provisionally accepted
Ling-Xi Qin Ling-Xi Qin Wen-Liang Lv Wen-Liang Lv *
  • Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Ulcerative colitis (UC) has experienced a steady increase in global incidence and prevalence recently. Current research into UC pathogenesis focuses on the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors with the immune system and gut microbiome, leading to disruption of the intestinal barrier. Normally, the microbiome, intestinal epithelium, and immune system interact to maintain intestinal homeostasis. However, when this equilibrium is disturbed, a harmful cycle of dysbiosis, immune dysregulation, and inflammation emerges, resulting in intestinal barrier dysfunction and UC progression. Among various risk factors, diet significantly influences epithelial barrier integrity and architectural stability through both direct and indirect mechanisms, shaping the entire UC continuum from pre-clinical prevention to remission maintenance and active phase treatment. This review provides insights into the impact of dietary content and eating behaviors on UC, focusing on specific food types, nutrients, and intermittent fasting, and highlighting the gut microbiota as a critical link between diet and UC. Additionally, it also addresses the limitations of current studies and proposes potential directions for future research and expansion.

    Keywords: ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, Diet, macronutrients, intermittent fasting

    Received: 29 Jan 2024; Accepted: 07 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Qin and Lv. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Wen-Liang Lv, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.