Nutrient Intake of Crohn’s Patients: Is There Consistency between Crohn’s Disease Activity Index, Subjective Global Assessment and Body Mass Index?

We aimed to determine the nutrient intake of Crohn’s patients and to expose its relationship with Crohn’s Activity Index (CDAI), Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Body Mass Index (BMI).

This randomized controlled trial was conducted on patients enrolled in the Gastroenterology Polyclinic of a University Medical Faculty Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey in 2017. Two groups were included in this study: Crohn’s Group (n = 100) and Control (n = 89). Crohn’s Disease Activity Index was used to detect disease activity. Malnutrition risk was determined by the SGA and daily energy and nutrient intakes were calculated.

There was a significant relationship between SGA and both CDAI and BMI (P<0.001, P=0.008, respectively). Daily energy, carbohydrate, monosaccharide, starch, sucrose, fructose, poly-unsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamin E and C, thiamine, niacin, pyridoxine, Mg, P, Fe, Cu, Zn intakes were significantly lower in Crohn’s Group than in Control Group. While more than 50% of the patients did not consume enough, B6, C, thiamine, niacin, folic acid, Mg, Ca and fiber, intakes of vitamin E, riboflavin, Fe, P, and Zn were adequate. Energy and nutrient  (vitamin E, thiamine, vitamin B6, mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, Mg, Ca, P, Zn, n-3 fatty acids and starch) intakes were negatively correlated with CDAI, but there was no relationship between these intakes and SGA.

There was a relationship between CDAI, SGD and BMI used to determine nutritional status in patients with Crohn’s.