The Effect of Diet on Disease Activity and Symptoms in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

The Mediterranean Diet Pattern (MDP) is associated with improvements in health status and inflammatory markers in healthy individuals and rodent models of colitis. Reductions in inflammatory biomarkers and a "normalization" of the gut microbiota have been shown in patients with Crohn's disease following a MDP. To date, no studies have examined the effect of MDP on disease activity, inflammatory markers or the effects on the microbiome in ulcerative colitis (UC). This study will examine the effects of a MDP taken by patients with UC on 1) symptoms, clinical and quality of life endpoints and 2) on gut microbiome and fecal immune biomarkers. One hundred subjects and two subjects with UC will be randomly allocated to follow a MDP for 12 weeks or their usual diet (controls). Upon initiation, throughout and completion of each diet, symptoms, clinical and quality of life endpoints will be monitored. Fecal samples will be collected to assess pH, short-chain fatty acid concentrations, bacterial abundance and diversity. . Randomized, open label, n=102