Effects of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, lifelong, and complex condition affecting approximately 6.8 million people worldwide. Its global prevalence is rising and Australia ranks among the countries with the highest incidence. It comprises of several conditions characterised by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the most common forms and presents in the form of inflammation along the colonic mucosa. Symptoms include both gastrointestinal dysfunction and extraintestinal manifestations which can occur in a relapsing remitting fashion. Comorbidities is high in this population, and medications can have severe side effects. As such, there is significant interest in exploring complementary approaches to treatment which are safe and effective.

Separately, Mediterranean diets are an emerging area of interest for chronic disease management. Unfortunately, adoption of whole diets can be challenging in IBD. Furthermore, contribution of individual components of the diet towards overall health outcomes remains unclear due to limited evidence. As such, the aim of this thesis was to address the gap in the evidence and examine the effects of a single food dietary intervention on IBD, focusing on UC. To address this aim, we utilised a broad range of methodologies throughout this thesis, including a study protocol, cross-sectional study of participants living with IBD, a systematic literature review, and randomised controlled trial involving participants living with UC.

Overall, we identified several gaps in the evidence on dietary approaches in IBD, with few human trials. Furthermore, we identified a significant level of impairment and lack of support in individuals living with IBD highlighting unmet needs for comprehensive, evidence-based support strategies. Low participant numbers were identified in the randomised trial, however, through this manuscript we hope to build the case for future studies based from our learnings.