A Pilot Randomized Trial Investigating the MyIBDDiet App to Improve Self-management of an Anti-inflammatory Diet for Individuals With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

(Background): Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis affects various segments of the gastrointestinal tract. Although this is a chronic illness, patients may experience periods of active inflammation and inactive disease or remission. At diagnosis, patients commonly enquire about what they should not be eating or avoiding. In the past, advice was limited to vague recommendations to "avoid the foods that bother participants" due to lack of research data to support a specific diet as beneficial.

The etiopathogenesis of IBD is thought to involves genetic predisposition, an altered composition and function of the intestinal microbiome, and a dysregulated immune. Diet has been shown to play a role in modulating the intestinal microbiome. There is now growing evidence to support the role of diet in in the management of IBD and recent guidelines have made more concrete recommendations for Mediterranean diet and avoidance of ultra-processed foods.

Although gastroenterologists may be aware and able to advice patients on the type of diet, few would have the expertise or time to provide specific details of the foods that are allowed or excluded in these diets. Not all patients will have access to a dietician and those who have access to a consultation will not have regular reinforcement of the concepts discussed.

The investigators therefore propose a digital solution to bridge the gap in care and allow for daily reinforcement of nutrition knowledge to help patients adhere to a healthy eating pattern. The MyIBDDiet app is designed to allow for tracking of food intake including preparation method, added fats and food processing with immediate messaging feedback on whether the food item should be consumed more often or less often. Symptom tracking will allow patients to correlate how they felt to their food intake. Additionally, further education and resources will be provided in the form of short videos or visual tools. These resources will be developed in response to user requests.

In this randomized pilot trial study, the investigators aim to conduct a clinical investigation to evaluate the effects of the the intervention of using the educational diet tracking app (MyIBDDiet).