This is an extremely important topic! Thanks for highlighting this
💜 What you may see in IBD nutrition VS what’s really going on 💜
When you have Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), sometimes others only see the visible changes bland food, low-fibre meals or “safe” choices. But under the surface lies a much heavier burden.
🔎 What research shows:
- A study showed up to 24% of IBD patients screened positive for an eating disorder using diagnostic tools significantly higher than population norms (Satherley et al., 2022).
- Another showed over 50% of IBD patients show ARFID-like (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) restrictive eating patterns, far beyond typical populations (Taft et al., 2024).
- Many patients avoid foods due to fear of triggering symptoms, even in remission, which reduces food variety and impacts quality of life (Zia et al., 2019).
💔 This is more than diet: it’s fear, anxiety, exhaustion and uncertainty. For many, eating becomes a source of stress and not comfort.
At Nutritional Therapy for IBD, we believe in addressing the whole iceberg, not just what’s visible. We’re here to help you rebuild a safe, nourishing, balanced approach to food, grounded in evidence, compassion, and what’s right for you.
If this post triggers feelings or brings up worries about your relationship with food, you’re not alone. Support is available through BEAT (UK), NEDA (US), or your IBD medical team.
If this resonates:
Comment a 💜 or save this for the days you feel overwhelmed.
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