Nutritional Considerations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Nutrient alterations are commonplace in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The etiology for these alterations is multifactorial. Nutrition assessment is the first step in successful nutrition management of any patient with gastrointestinal disease. Nutritional goals include assisting with nutrition risk, identifying macronutrient and micronutrient needs and implementing a nutrition plan to meet those needs. This article addresses many of the nutrition issues currently facing clinicians including: oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition, common vitamin/mineral deficiencies, medium chain triglycerides and nutrition as primary and supportive therapy.