Web of Life

Eating a diet high in red meat and alcohol may triple the risk of a relapse in patients suffering from an inflammatory bowel disease, a study has claimed.

Researchers studied 183 men and women with ulcerative colitis in north east England, looking at their diets and symptoms of the disease.

They found that those who ate larger amounts of red meat and drank more than two units of alcohol a day were more at risk of suffering renewed attacks of the disease. When the study started the patients’ symptoms had subsided and they were all in general good health.

The researchers, from the University of Newcastle, assessed their diet using a questionnaire as well as measuring the sulphur content of the food.

After a year of monitoring the patients, just over half (52%) had suffered a relapse of ulcerative colitis.

The study, published in the journal Gut, showed that those who ate the most meat - more than 100g a day - were three times more likely to relapse than those who ate the least - 50g a day.

The risks increased further for those eating red and processed meat, with patients five times as likely to suffer a relapse. The researchers, led by Dr Mark Welfare, also found that those patients who had a high intake of animal protein in general - meat, fish and eggs - tripled the risk.

The same increased risk of relapse was seen for those who drank larger amounts of alcohol.

(http://www.dailymirror.lk/2004/09/16/life/05.asp)