The EPIC-IBD Working Group

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract that have an increasing global incidence and prevalence. These diseases result in substantial morbidity, and patients often need to take life-long medications. Although the precise pathophysiology of IBDs is not yet known, evidence suggests that a dysfunctional immune response to the gut microbiota on a background of susceptible genetics leads to disease development. In addition to the genetic contribution to IBD pathophysiology, environmental factors also appear to contribute significantly to the development and progression of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The EPIC-IBD Working Group has explored the role of specific foods, individual food groups, nutrients, and dietary patterns in IBD development. Findings have included positive risk associations with obesity, ultra-processed foods, and meat, and inverse risk associations with n-3 fatty acids, milk, and healthier life scores. Using case–control designs, the Working Group is investigating biomarkers and will be considering targeted and untargeted metabolomics.

The EPIC-IBD Working Group also participates in international consortia that pool together data to explore the risk of dietary and lifestyle factors in the development of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Selected publications

  1. Lopes EW, Chan SSM, Song M, Ludvigsson JF, Håkansson N, Lochhead P, et al.; EPIC-IBD investigators (2022). Lifestyle factors for the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease. Gut. gutjnl-2022-328174. Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2022-328174 PMID:36591609
  2. Meyer A, Dong C, Casagrande C, Chan SSM, Huybrechts I, Nicolas G, et al. (2022). Food processing and risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: a European prospective cohort study. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. S1542-3565(22)00929-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2022.09.031 PMID:36243353
  3. Dong C, Chan SSM, Jantchou P, Racine A, Oldenburg B, Weiderpass E, et al. (2022). Meat intake is associated with a higher risk of ulcerative colitis in a large European prospective cohort studyø. J Crohns Colitis. 16(8):1187–96. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjac054 PMID:35396592
  4. Chan SSM, Chen Y, Casey K, Olen O, Ludvigsson JF, Carbonnel F, et al.; DEFINe-IBD Investigators (2022). Obesity is associated with increased risk of Crohn’s disease, but not ulcerative colitis: a pooled analysis of five prospective cohort studies. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 20(5):1048–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2021.06.049 PMID:34242756
  5. Opstelten JL, Leenders M, Dik VK, Chan SS, van Schaik FD, Khaw KT, et al. (2016). Dairy products, dietary calcium, and risk of inflammatory bowel disease: results from a European prospective cohort investigation. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 22(6):1403–11. https://doi.org/10.1097/MIB.0000000000000798 PMID:27120568
  6. Racine A, Carbonnel F, Chan SS, Hart AR, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Oldenburg B, et al. (2016). Dietary patterns and risk of inflammatory bowel disease in Europe: results from the EPIC study. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 22(2):345–54. https://doi.org/10.1097/MIB.0000000000000638 PMID:26717318
  7. Chan SS, Luben R, van Schaik F, Oldenburg B, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Hallmans G, et al. (2014). Carbohydrate intake in the etiology of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 20(11):2013–21. https://doi.org/10.1097/MIB.0000000000000168 PMID:25265262
  8. Chan SS, Luben R, Olsen A, Tjonneland A, Kaaks R, Lindgren S, et al. (2014). Association between high dietary intake of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid and reduced risk of Crohn’s disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 39(8):834–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.12670 PMID:24611981
  9. Chan SS, Luben R, Olsen A, Tjonneland A, Kaaks R, Teucher B, et al. (2013). Body mass index and the risk for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: data from a European prospective cohort study (the IBD in EPIC Study). Am J Gastroenterol. 108(4):575–82. https://doi.org/10.1038/ajg.2012.453 PMID:23318483
  10. van Schaik FD, Oldenburg B, Hart AR, Siersema PD, Lindgren S, Grip O, et al. (2013). Serological markers predict inflammatory bowel disease years before the diagnosis. Gut. 62(5):683–8. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302717 PMID:22842615
  11. Chan SS, Luben R, Bergmann MM, Boeing H, Olsen A, Tjonneland A, et al. (2011). Aspirin in the aetiology of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: a European prospective cohort study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 34(6):649–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04784.x PMID:21790683


Contact details/Working Group leader

Simon Chan, PhD
Honorary Clinical Associate Professor
Norwich Medical School
University of East Anglia
Norwich NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom
Simon.Chan@uea.ac.uk