Western diets increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer - a review

Western diets increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer, according to a new review of modern nutrition.

The study of six common diets examined how what we consume affects our gut microbiome - the collection of microorganisms living in our gut - and how changing the balance of their composition affects our overall health.

The review was conducted by APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), the SFI Research Center at University College Cork (UCC) and Teagasc. The review is published in Nature Reviews Microbiology under the title 'Interactions between diet and the gut microbiome: implications for health and disease'.

The comprehensive review shows how different diets significantly alter the composition and functionality of the gut microbiome, emphasizing the production of essential molecules produced during metabolism, such as short-chain fatty acids.

This highlights the deleterious effects of a Western diet high in fat and sugar compared to the benefits of diets rich in plant foods and fiber.

In contrast, a Mediterranean diet high in fruits and vegetables has been found to be effective in treating diseases such as cardiovascular disease, IHD and type 2 diabetes.

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