Assessment and Educational Intervention to Reduce Ultra-processed Food Consumption in Pediatric Patients With IBD

Connecticut Children's Medical Center120 enrolled

Overview

This study explores whether simple nutrition education can help children and teens with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) eat fewer ultra-processed foods (UPFs). UPFs include packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and fast food-items that are high in added sugars, fats, and artificial ingredients. Participants will complete online food recalls to measure what they eat and will then receive either nutrition handouts alone or handouts plus a short educational video about UPFs. Researchers will compare changes in UPF intake between the two groups after several weeks and ask families how useful and acceptable they found the materials. The goal is to identify an effective, practical way to support healthier eating habits and long-term gut health in pediatric IBD.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

120

Conditions

IBD Crohn Disease (CD)Ulcerative Colitis (UC)Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)Ultra Processed Food Nutrition Assessment DGBI

Interventions

Handout-Only InterventionBEHAVIORAL

Participants receive written nutrition handouts explaining what ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are, how to identify them, and practical strategies to reduce UPF intake.

Handout + Video InterventionBEHAVIORAL

Participants receive the same nutrition handouts plus a short educational video reinforcing key messages about UPFs and healthy eating choices.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 10 YearsMax age: 21 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of IBD (Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, IBD-U) for at least 3 months * Age 10 through \< 22 years at the time of enrollment (i.e., up to the day before the 22nd birthday) * Followed by a gastroenterologist at Connecticut Children's * IBD in clinical remission based on calculated PUCAI score \<10 or PCDAI score of \<10 * Receiving medical infusions at CCMC Infusion Center as part of IBD treatment * Participants must be on full oral intake and not have major dietary restrictions or require oral nutrition supplements Exclusion Criteria: * Following a medically prescribed or restrictive diet such as Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED), ketogenic diet, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), low FODMAP diet, gluten-free diet, paleo, or Whole30. * Receiving any nutrition through feeding tubes (including nasogastric \[NG\], nasojejunal \[NJ\], gastrostomy \[G\], or gastrojejunostomy \[GJ\] tubes) * History of bowel surgery within 3 months of study start affecting ability to sustain normal enteral intake * Non-English-speaking participants (as translation and short-form consent processes will not be used for this study)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Ultra-Processed Food (UPF) Intake

Description: Percent of total daily energy from NOVA Group 4 foods, comparing baseline to follow-up.

Time frame: Baseline and follow-up within a 4-12 week window after intervention