Processed Food as a Risk Factor for the Development and Perpetuation of Crohn's Disease-The ENIGMA Study.

(1) Background: Developing countries have experienced a rapid recent rise in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) incidence and emerging evidence suggests processed foods and food additives may predispose one to the development and perpetuation of Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to evaluate processed food and food additive intake in CD patients and controls, in Australia (high CD incidence), Hong Kong (intermediate incidence) and mainland China (emerging incidence). (2) Methods: In 274 CD patients (CD), 82 first-degree relatives (FDR), 83 household members (HM) and 92 healthy unrelated controls (HC) from Australia (n = 180), Hong Kong (HK) (n = 160) and mainland China (n = 191) we estimated early life (0-18 years), recent (12 months), and current processed and food additive intake, using validated questionnaires and a 3-day-food diary. (3) Results: Early life processed food intake: Combining all regions, CD were more likely to have consumed soft drinks and fast foods than HM, more likely to have consumed processed fruit and snacks than their FDR, and more likely to have consumed a range of processed foods than HC. HK and China CD patients were more likely to have consumed a range of processed foods than HC. Recent food-additive intake (12-months): Combining all regions, CD patients had significantly higher intakes of aspartame and sucralose, and polysorbate-80, than HC, and more total emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and titanium dioxide than FDR and HC. HK and China CD patients had a higher intake of almost all food additives than all controls. Current additive intake (3-days): Australian and HK CD patients had higher total food-additive intake than FDR, and HK CD patients had a higher intake of total food-additives and emulsifiers than HM. (4) Conclusions: CD patients have been exposed to more processed food and food additives than control groups, which may predispose them to CD development and ongoing inflammation.

Childhood antibiotics as a risk factor for Crohn's disease: The ENIGMA International Cohort Study.

Background and Aim: Environmental factors play a key role in development of Crohn's disease (CD), thought to be mediated by changes in the gut microbiota. We aimed to delineate the potential contribution of antibiotic exposure to subsequent development of CD, across diverse geographical populations. Methods: This case-control study in Australia and three cities in China (Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Kunming) included four groups: patients with CD, at-risk individuals including non-affected first-degree relatives (FDRs) and household members of CD patients (HM), and unrelated healthy controls (HCs). Environmental risk factors, including childhood antibiotic use and 13 other categories, were assessed using a self-developed questionnaire. Logistic regression and conditional logistic regression were used to determine environmental factors associated with CD development. Results: From 2017 to 2019, a total of 254 patients with CD (mean age: 37.98 ± 13.76 years; 58.3% male), 73 FDR (mean age: 49.35 ± 13.28 years; 46.6% male), 122 HMs (including FDR) (mean age: 45.50 ± 13.25 years; 47.5% male), and 78 HC (mean age: 45.57 ± 11.24; 47.4% male) were included. Comparing CD patients with their FDR and HMs, antibiotic use before 18 years old was a risk factor for CD development (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38-8.69; P = 0.008). There were no significant differences in other childhood environmental risk factors between CD and their FDR or HMs. Subgroup analysis showed that antibiotic use <18 years old was a risk factor for CD development in the Chinese (adjusted OR 4.80, 95% CI 1.62-12.24; P = 0.005) but not in Australian populations (OR 1.80, 95% CI 0.33-9.95; P = 0.498). Conclusion: Use of antibiotics <18 years was a risk factor for CD development. Attention should be paid to identifying modifiable environmental risk factors in early childhood, especially in at-risk families.