PD384 - ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FOOD NEOPHOBIA AND MALNUTRITION RISK IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

PD384

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FOOD NEOPHOBIA AND MALNUTRITION RISK IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

Ö. I. Eminagaoglu¹, E. Belli̇kci̇ Koyu^1,*, B. Emekdas², N. G. Ünal²

¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izmir Katip Celebi University, ²Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye

Rationale: Food neophobia is defined as the reluctance to consume unfamiliar or novel foods. Previous studies indicate that food neophobia is negatively associated with dietary variety and overall diet quality. In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), disease-related symptoms may lead individuals to restrict food intake and adopt avoidance behaviours, potentially resulting in inadequate dietary intake. However, the association between food neophobia and malnutrition risk in patients with IBD remains unclear.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 156 patients with IBD (97 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 59 with Crohn’s disease), aged 19–64 years. Demographic and baseline characteristics were collected. Food neophobia was assessed using the Food Neophobia Scale, and malnutrition risk was evaluated using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). Patients were classified as low risk (MUST score = 0) or medium to high risk of malnutrition (MUST score ≥1).

Results: The mean age of participants was 42.08±12.83 years, and 55.8% were female. According to the MUST categories, 105 participants were classified as at low risk and 51 as at medium to high risk of malnutrition. Participants at medium to high risk of malnutrition had significantly higher food neophobia scores (47.92±11.84) compared to those at low risk (43.30±10.30; p=0.013). When analysed by disease subtype, this difference was observed only in patients with Crohn’s disease but not in those with UC (p=0.012 and p=0.338, respectively). In multivariable logistic regression analysis of the overall population, food neophobia was independently associated with malnutrition risk (OR=1.078, 95% CI: 1.034–1.124, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Food neophobia was associated with malnutrition risk in patients with IBD. These findings suggest that food neophobia may be an important behavioural factor related to nutritional risk in this population. 

Disclosure of Interest: None declared