Mental health, diet & nutrition
In Canada, the mental health, diet and nutrition needs of individuals living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are often not included in regular care plans. The best way to care for individuals living with IBD is with a team that can address the unique needs of each individual by providing personalized care.
In recent years, there has been greater awareness of the mental health needs for individuals with IBD. Depression and generalized anxiety disorders are twice as likely in persons with IBD as in persons without IBD. There is a lot of evidence that suggests mental health concerns can occur following an IBD diagnosis, especially during the first few years.
Diet and nutrition are also topics of concern, but the abundance of dietary advice can be confusing. Many people with IBD find it challenging to figure out their nutritional and diet requirements, leading to stress and unnecessary dietary limitations. Self-directed diet methods can lead to increased stress, unnecessary diet restrictions and possibly nutritional shortages without any improvement in IBD symptoms or outcomes. Additionally, concerns as to whether a person is nutritionally “healthy” or following the “right diet” can affect mental health and well-being.
Visit Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s IBD Journey if you’d like to learn more about the role of diet and nutrition (web link) or mental health and wellness (web link).
Piloting a personalized care intervention for mental health, diet and nutrition
Dr. Charles Bernstein and Dr. Lesley Graff at the University of Manitoba are finding a way to make personalized mental health, diet and nutritional care available to Canadians living with IBD.
The goals of the project are to:
- develop an online screening tool that patients’ can complete to identify their mental health, diet, and nutrition needs;
- create tailored education and treatment options that can be followed by healthcare providers to address the unique needs of each patient; and
- increase the accessibility of experts in the mental health, diet and nutrition to Canadians living with IBD.
This project started in 2021 at the University of Manitoba. If the results show this approach can improve health outcomes then the screening tool and resources developed can be used by other healthcare providers to improve care across Canada.
Support the PACE Network
Donations to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada allow the PACE network to carry on its vital work and continue to find solutions to improve IBD care.
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Contact Information
To learn more about the PACE network, please contact research@crohnsandcolitis.ca.
The PACE network is supported by Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and our funding partners: