Inflammatory bowel disease: role of diet, microbiota, life style

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompassed several chronic inflammatory disorders leading to damage of the gastrointestinal tract (GI). The 2 principal forms of these disorders are ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD). Bacteria are involved in the etiology of IBD, and the genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors can affect the individual's predisposition to IBD. The review discusses the potential role of environmental factors such as diet and microbiota as well as genetics in the etiology of IBD. It is suggested that microbial ecosystem in the human bowel colonizing the gut in many different microhabitats can be influence by diet, leading to formation of metabolic processes that are essential form the bowel metabolism. (Translational Research 2012;160:29-44)