To protect young children against inflammatory bowel disease, researchers advise families to favor a diet rich in vegetables.
- Being exposed to antibiotics before age 5 triples the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease in children.
- Eating more vegetables protects against inflammatory bowel disease, as does having more than two siblings or being exposed to animals.
- “Excessive hygiene can reduce microbes in the environment and interfere with the development of a robust microbiota,” according to dietitian Nisha Thacker.
“Cases of inflammatory bowel disease (or IBD) in children are on the rise worldwide, and approximately 1 in 4 cases of IBD are now diagnosed before the age of 21,” said Nisha Thacker, a dietician specializing in gastrointestinal disorders, during the Digestive Disease Week 2023 congress. In a recent study, she revealed that children and adolescents have an increased risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases if they have been exposed to antibiotics. To reach this conclusion, she looked at 36 cohorts involving approximately 6.4 million children.
IBD: a higher risk in children exposed to four antibiotic treatments
According to his analysis, taking antibiotics before the age of 5 was linked to a three times higher risk of IBD in children. Exposure to four or more antibiotic treatments was associated with a 3.5 times higher risk. Children are also more vulnerable to these pathologies when their family has a higher socio-economic status and if they follow a Western diet, i.e. “high in sugars, ultra-processed foods and low in vegetables” at an early age. “Another risk factor is early exposure to passive smoking, which doubles the risk of IBD in children,” said Nisha Thacker.
Playing and interacting with animals to have “a strong immune system”
Eating vegetables regularly and having two or more siblings protects against inflammatory bowel disease, according to research. Being exposed to animals also reduces the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease. “Excessive hygiene can reduce microbes in the environment and interfere with the development of a robust microbiota. (…) Allowing children to play outdoors and interact with pets in a safe environment appears to be beneficial for the development of a strong immune system”explained the dietitian.
