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Introduction Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that involves the colon in ulcerative colitis (UC) and may involve any part of the entire gastrointestinal tract in Crohn's [...], Objective: Malnutrition is observed frequently in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Knowledge of the nutritional status in patients with recently diagnosed IBD is limited. The aim of this study was to establish a comprehensive picture of the nutritional status in recently diagnosed IBD patients. Subjects: Sixty-nine IBD patients (23 Crohn's disease (CD) and 46 with ulcerative colitis (UC)) within 6 months of diagnosis and 69 age--and sex-matched population controls were included in the study. Methods: The nutritional status was assessed by: (1) body composition (anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); (2) dietary intake (dietary history); (3) biochemical indexes of nutrition; and (4) muscle strength (isokinetic dynamometer). Results: Body weight and body mass index were significantly lower in UC patients compared with controls. The mean daily intake of carbohydrates was significantly higher in CD patients and the intakes of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and riboflavin were significantly lower in UC patients compared with controls, respectively. Serum concentrations of several nutrients (β-carotene, magnesium, selenium and zinc) were significantly lower in UC patients compared with controls. Serum vitamin [B.sub.12] concentration was significantly lower in CD patients. Muscle strength did not significantly differ between IBD patients and controls. Conclusions: This study showed that the nutritional status of IBD patients was already affected negatively at time of diagnosis. It needs to be elucidated whether nutritional supplementation in recently diagnosed IBD patients may improve the clinical course of the disease. Sponsorship: This study was financially supported by a grant from Novartis Nutrition Ltd, Switzerland. Descriptors: inflammatory bowel disease; nutritional status; body composition; dietary intake; antioxidants; muscle strength

There is a changed distribution of body water compartments in female inflammatory bowel disorder patients compared with controls, according to research designed to assess the body hydration and the distribution of the body water compartments in inflammatory bowel disease patients. No significant differences in body water distribution compared with controls were seen in male patients, but body weight, and thus body fat and fat-free mass, were considerably lower. It is clear that a fully measurement of body composition in inflammatory bowel disease patients is important.