Rumour: The environment plays an influence in acquiring inflammatory bowel disease.
Truth: This is true.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a relapsing and remitting condition. Many studies have suggested its potential linkage towards environmental impact. As such, a review in JAMA Pediatrics discussed environmental factors associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Lifestyle factors and microbe diversity have both been linked to the development of IBD. For example, breastfeeding practices have an effect on how microorganisms cultivate in the fetus’ gastrointestinal tract thus dictating intestinal cell life in future years. As such, there is accumulating evidence to believe that the onset of IBD does have an environmental influence. To read the full article, click here.