{"id":3932,"date":"2026-10-08T11:43:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T11:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=3932"},"modified":"2026-10-08T11:43:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T11:43:27","slug":"healthy-lifestyle-in-early-childhood-linked-to-lower-risk-for-ibd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=3932","title":{"rendered":"Healthy lifestyle in early childhood linked to lower risk for IBD"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"ArticleContent\">\n<div class=\"article__below-title\">\n<div class=\" article__posted-date\">\n<p>October 08, 2026<\/p>\n<p>2 min read<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mobile-trust-box\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-5 d-xl-none\">\n<div class=\"trust-box\">\n<div class=\"trust-box-logo d-none d-md-block\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/h5\/feature\/news\/publogos\/hgld\/healio_gastro.svg?la=en&amp;h=40&amp;w=152&amp;hash=2C654A538F2E250F5183D42A89FE0EC0\" class=\"logo-img\" height=\"40\" alt=\"Healio Logo - Gastroenterology\" width=\"152\"\/>\n          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 offset-md-1 offset-xl-0 col-xl-12\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-button-wrapper d-none\" data-component=\"EmailTopicAlert\" data-module=\"Subspecialty Email Topic Alerts Top\" data-manage-email-link=\"\/footer\/account-information\/my-account\/email-subscriptions-and-alerts#emailAlerts\">\n  <hidden data-setting-item=\"d265901d-6d37-49c7-a8f6-c7bf19a02509\"\/><br \/>\n  <hidden data-crm-source=\"Subspecialty Topic Alert\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button d-none\" data-topic-button=\"not-subscribed\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n      <span data-module-track-action=\"Email Alerts TOP_Click_Healio News Article\" data-module-track-label=\"Email Alerts TOP_Healio News Article\">&#13;<br \/>\n        <i class=\"fas fa-plus-circle\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n        Add topic to email alerts&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/span>&#13;\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-inner collapse u9ae6aa2d3f594e44a25d0f4ae5d34119\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-dialogue\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n          Receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>&#13;\n        <\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-sign-up-type=\"unknown\">\n          Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>      <button type=\"button\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" data-loading-text=\"Loading &lt;i class=\" fa=\"\" fa-spinner=\"\" fa-spin=\"\">&#8220;&#13;<br \/>\n              data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13;<br \/>\n        Subscribe&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-topic-modal=\"failed\">    <strong>We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20261007\/mailto:customerservice@slackinc.com\">customerservice@slackinc.com<\/a>.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n<p><button data-dismiss=\"modal\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block\">Back to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Key takeaways:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A healthy lifestyle at ages 1 and 3 years was linked to lower risk for developing IBD.<\/li>\n<li>Crohn\u2019s disease was a key driver of the association between risk for IBD and lifestyle in early childhood.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Children with healthier lifestyle patterns appear less likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease than those with unhealthier lifestyles, study results showed.<\/p>\n<p>This association between modifiable lifestyle factors \u2014 such as diet quality, physical activity and exposure to environmental hazards \u2014 and <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20260825\/variation-in-antibody-response-evident-long-before-symptoms-of-ibd-develop\" id=\"rId10\" target=\"_blank\">IBD development<\/a> was largely driven by reduced risk for Crohn\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"figure article__og-image\">&#13;\n    <picture>&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/gastroenterology\/misc\/infographics\/2026\/1026\/hgi0926guo_graphic_01_web.webp?w=476\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/gastroenterology\/misc\/infographics\/2026\/1026\/hgi0926guo_graphic_01_web.webp?w=800\" media=\"(max-width: 992px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/gastroenterology\/misc\/infographics\/2026\/1026\/hgi0926guo_graphic_01_web.webp?w=595\" media=\"(max-width: 1200px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/gastroenterology\/misc\/infographics\/2026\/1026\/hgi0926guo_graphic_01_web.webp?w=476\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\">&#13;<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.comhttps:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/gastroenterology\/misc\/infographics\/2026\/1026\/hgi0926guo_graphic_01_web.webp?w=476\">&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/gastroenterology\/misc\/infographics\/2026\/1026\/hgi0926guo_graphic_01_web.jpg?w=800\" alt=\"Healthy lifestyle patterns in early life were linked to IG\" class=\"figure-img img-fluid\" width=\"800\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n    <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>&#13;<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">&#13;<br \/>\n      Data derived from Guo A, et al. <i>J Crohn\u2019s Colitis<\/i><i>.<\/i> 2026;doi.org\/10.1093\/ecco-jcc\/jjag114.&#13;<br \/>\n    <\/figcaption>&#13;<br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<div class=\"mug left\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Annie Guo, PhD, RD\" style=\" height:106px; width:80px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/slack-news\/gastroenterology\/mugs\/g\/guo_annie_2026_.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong><b>Annie Guo<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cMany patients are struggling with [IBD] and are wondering if they could have done anything to prevent it,\u201d <b>Annie Guo, PhD,<\/b><b> RD,<\/b> a postdoctoral researcher at University of Gothenburg in Sweden, told Healio.<\/p>\n<p>Prior research suggests that adherence to a healthy lifestyle may play a role in IBD development among adults, according to study background. Studies also have indicated early-life development of the gut microbiome and immune system may impact lifelong IBD risk.<\/p>\n<p>Guo and colleagues investigated the relationship between modifiable lifestyle factors in early life and risk for IBD in a prospective, binational cohort study. They analyzed data on 117,487 children (49% girls) from two Scandinavian birth cohorts that enrolled participants between 1997 and 2009. Mean age of participants at the end of follow-up was 20 years.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers evaluated adherence at ages 1 and 3 years to several health-related lifestyle factors with established connections to IBD \u2014 including prenatal and postnatal smoking exposure, mode of delivery, breastfeeding duration, antibiotic use, diet, BMI and physical activity \u2014 using the Modifiable Health-related Lifestyle Score (MHLS).<\/p>\n<p>This score, along with a weighted optimal risk score at ages 1 and 3 years, determined risk for developing IBD.<\/p>\n<p>During the study period, 293 participants developed CD, 283 <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20260831\/fda-approves-stelara-for-children-aged-2-years-and-older-with-ulcerative-colitis\" id=\"rId11\" target=\"_blank\">ulcerative colitis<\/a> and 156 unclassified IBD.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers observed a lower risk for developing IBD among children with healthier lifestyle patterns and a higher MHLS score (adjusted HR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.98), compared with those with lower scores and unhealthier lifestyle patterns.<\/p>\n<p>Among IBD subtypes, this association was most pronounced in CD (aHR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38-0.86).<\/p>\n<p>Optimal risk score analyses at ages 1 and 3 years showed the same association between high adherence to a healthy lifestyle and lower risk for IBD (aHR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.95) and CD (aHR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49-0.94) when compared with individuals who had unhealthier lifestyle factors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cConsistent with adult data indicating that healthy habits may prevent IBD, our findings further underscore the importance of adopting lifestyle modifications early,\u201d Guo and colleagues wrote. \u201cInterventions that focus on lifestyle choices during childhood may be especially beneficial, given the tendency for early-formed behaviors to endure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The researchers did not observe an association between MHLS or optimal risk score and risk for developing UC.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDifferent etiologies have been suggested for CD and UC,\u201d Guo said. \u201cHowever, more research is warranted before drawing different conclusions about associations between <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20260806\/perinatal-exposure-to-forever-chemicals-linked-to-intestinal-inflammation-in-childhood\" id=\"rId12\" target=\"_blank\">early-life<\/a> lifestyle factors and later risk for CD and UC.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Findings were consistent across sex, parental IBD status and sociodemographic factors.<\/p>\n<p>Guo and colleagues acknowledged study limitations, including modifiable risk factors that may influence IBD development beyond those considered in MHLS, as well as reliance on parent-reported data from questionnaires that varied in wording between the two cohorts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince this is only based on observational data, more research is needed before the findings can be translated into any clinical interpretation,\u201d Guo told Healio.<\/p>\n<p>Additional research should \u201cconfirm environmental exposures with biological data; [for example] whether there is any difference in microbiome composition between those with different adherence to healthier lifestyle behaviors,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<h2>For more information:<\/h2>\n<p>      <b>Annie Guo<\/b><b>, <\/b><b>PhD,<\/b><b> RD,<\/b> can be reached at <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20261007\/mailto:gastroenterology@healio.com\" id=\"rId13\" target=\"_blank\">gastroenterology@healio.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content--footer\">\n<div class=\"publisher-logo\">\n    <span>Published by:<\/span><br \/>\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/h5\/feature\/news\/publogos\/hgld\/healio_gastro.svg?la=en&amp;h=40&amp;w=152&amp;hash=2C654A538F2E250F5183D42A89FE0EC0\" class=\"logo-img\" height=\"40\" alt=\"Healio Logo - Gastroenterology\" width=\"152\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<p><!-- Healio AI Widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"healio-ai-component-inline\" data-no-ads=\"true\" data-module-track-category=\"Healio AI\" data-module-track-action=\"Click\" data-module-track-label=\"Access Healio Ai from component - News_AI Component - In-Content (all devices)\">\n<div class=\"healio-ai-content\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/m3.healio.com\/~\/media\/images\/healio-ai\/healio-ai_logo.svg\" alt=\"Healio AI\" class=\"healio-ai-logo\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ask a clinical question<\/strong> and tap into <strong>Healio AI&#8217;s knowledge<\/strong> base.<\/p>\n<ul>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>PubMed, enrolling\/recruiting trials, guidelines<\/li>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>Clinical Guidance, Healio CME, FDA news<\/li>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>Healio&#8217;s exclusive daily news coverage of clinical data<\/li>\n<p>&#13;\n    <\/ul>\n<p>    <button class=\"healio-ai-button\" onclick=\"window.location.href=\" https:=\"\">Learn more<\/button>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button-wrapper d-none\" data-component=\"EmailTopicAlert\" data-module=\"Subspecialty Email Topic Alerts Top\" data-manage-email-link=\"\/footer\/account-information\/my-account\/email-subscriptions-and-alerts#emailAlerts\">\n  <hidden data-setting-item=\"d265901d-6d37-49c7-a8f6-c7bf19a02509\"\/><br \/>\n  <hidden data-crm-source=\"Subspecialty Topic Alert\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button d-none\" data-topic-button=\"not-subscribed\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n      <span data-module-track-action=\"Email Alerts TOP_Click_Healio News Article\" data-module-track-label=\"Email Alerts TOP_Healio News Article\">&#13;<br \/>\n        <i class=\"fas fa-plus-circle\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n        Add topic to email alerts&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/span>&#13;\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-inner collapse u9ae6aa2d3f594e44a25d0f4ae5d34119\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-dialogue\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n          Receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>&#13;\n        <\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-sign-up-type=\"unknown\">\n          Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>      <button type=\"button\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" data-loading-text=\"Loading &lt;i class=\" fa=\"\" fa-spinner=\"\" fa-spin=\"\">&#8220;&#13;<br \/>\n              data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13;<br \/>\n        Subscribe&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-topic-modal=\"failed\">    <strong>We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20261007\/mailto:customerservice@slackinc.com\">customerservice@slackinc.com<\/a>.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n<p><button data-dismiss=\"modal\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block\">Back to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20261007\/healthy-lifestyle-in-early-childhood-linked-to-lower-risk-for-ibd-particularly-crohns\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>October 08, 2026 2 min read &#13; &#13; &#13; Add topic to email alerts&#13; &#13; &#13; Receive an email when new articles are posted on &#13; Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . &#8220;&#13; data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13; Subscribe&#13; We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: A healthy lifestyle at ages 1 and 3 years was linked to lower risk for developing IBD. Crohn\u2019s disease was a key driver of the association between risk for IBD and lifestyle in early childhood. Children with healthier lifestyle patterns appear less likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease than those with unhealthier lifestyles, study results showed. This association between modifiable lifestyle factors \u2014 such as diet quality, physical activity and exposure to environmental hazards \u2014 and IBD development was largely driven by reduced risk for Crohn\u2019s disease. &#13; &#13;&#13;&#13;&#13;&#13;&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13;&#13; Data derived from Guo A, et al. J Crohn\u2019s Colitis. 2026;doi.org\/10.1093\/ecco-jcc\/jjag114.&#13; &#13; Annie Guo \u201cMany patients are struggling with [IBD] and are wondering if they could have done anything to prevent it,\u201d Annie Guo, PhD, RD, a postdoctoral researcher at University of Gothenburg in Sweden, told Healio. Prior research suggests that adherence to a healthy lifestyle may play a role in IBD development among adults, according to study background. Studies also have indicated early-life development of the gut microbiome and immune system may impact lifelong IBD risk. Guo and colleagues investigated the relationship between modifiable lifestyle factors in early life and risk for IBD in a prospective, binational cohort study. They analyzed data on 117,487 children (49% girls) from two Scandinavian birth cohorts that enrolled participants between 1997 and 2009. Mean age of participants at the end of follow-up was 20 years. The researchers evaluated adherence at ages 1 and 3 years to several health-related lifestyle factors with established connections to IBD \u2014 including prenatal and postnatal smoking exposure, mode of delivery, breastfeeding duration, antibiotic use, diet, BMI and physical activity \u2014 using the Modifiable Health-related Lifestyle Score (MHLS). This score, along with a weighted optimal risk score at ages 1 and 3 years, determined risk for developing IBD. During the study period, 293 participants developed CD, 283 ulcerative colitis and 156 unclassified IBD. The researchers observed a lower risk for developing IBD among children with healthier lifestyle patterns and a higher MHLS score (adjusted HR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.98), compared with those with lower scores and unhealthier lifestyle patterns. Among IBD subtypes, this association was most pronounced in CD (aHR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38-0.86). Optimal risk score analyses at ages 1 and 3 years showed the same association between high adherence to a healthy lifestyle and lower risk for IBD (aHR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.95) and CD (aHR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49-0.94) when compared with individuals who had unhealthier lifestyle factors. \u201cConsistent with adult data indicating that healthy habits may prevent IBD, our findings further underscore the importance of adopting lifestyle modifications early,\u201d Guo and colleagues wrote. \u201cInterventions that focus on lifestyle choices during childhood may be especially beneficial, given the tendency for early-formed behaviors to endure.\u201d The researchers did not observe an association between MHLS or optimal risk score and risk for developing UC. \u201cDifferent etiologies have been suggested for CD and UC,\u201d Guo said. \u201cHowever, more research is warranted before drawing different conclusions about associations between early-life lifestyle factors and later risk for CD and UC.\u201d Findings were consistent across sex, parental IBD status and sociodemographic factors. Guo and colleagues acknowledged study limitations, including modifiable risk factors that may influence IBD development beyond those considered in MHLS, as well as reliance on parent-reported data from questionnaires that varied in wording between the two cohorts. \u201cSince this is only based on observational data, more research is needed before the findings can be translated into any clinical interpretation,\u201d Guo told Healio. Additional research should \u201cconfirm environmental exposures with biological data; [for example] whether there is any difference in microbiome composition between those with different adherence to healthier lifestyle behaviors,\u201d she added. For more information: Annie Guo, PhD, RD, can be reached at gastroenterology@healio.com. Published by: Ask a clinical question and tap into Healio AI&#8217;s knowledge base. &#13; PubMed, enrolling\/recruiting trials, guidelines &#13; Clinical Guidance, Healio CME, FDA news &#13; Healio&#8217;s exclusive daily news coverage of clinical data &#13; Learn more &#13; &#13; &#13; Add topic to email alerts&#13; &#13; &#13; Receive an email when new articles are posted on &#13; Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . &#8220;&#13; data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13; Subscribe&#13; We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. 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