This scoping review aims to map the existing literature on nutritional knowledge among people with IBD, identify gaps in current understanding, and provide guidance for future educational interventions. Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract, where nutrition plays a crucial role in symptom management. Despite its significance, patient knowledge about proper dietary practices remains limited, with widespread misconceptions potentially leading to suboptimal health outcomes. Methods: This review followed the Arksey and O’Malley framework and adhered to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A systematic search was conducted in three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS) for studies published between 2003 and 2024. Only studies involving adults (≥18 years) with IBD and focusing on nutritional knowledge were included. Results: From 1440 records initially identified, 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlight that IBD patients often base dietary decisions on personal beliefs rather than evidence-based guidelines, leading to widespread food avoidance and increased risk of malnutrition. Misconceptions such as avoiding dairy, gluten, and fiber without professional advice were prevalent. Educational interventions, including personalized counseling and group sessions, showed the potential to improve nutritional knowledge and symptom management, though their application remains inconsistent across settings. Conclusions: IBD patients face significant gaps in nutritional knowledge, emphasizing the need for structured educational initiatives. A personalized, multidisciplinary approach, integrating dietary education into standard care, is essential to improve symptom control and enhance quality of life. Future research should focus on developing evidence-based interventions tailored to the unique needs of this population.
Chronic pouchitis occurs in about 50% of patients undergoing a restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis. This affection represents a significant therapeutic challenge, particularly for symptomatic patients who do not respond to antibiotic treatments and biologic therapies. Several dietary approaches, including low FODMAP diets and the Mediterranean diet, have shown promising results in improving symptoms and disease burden. The rationale for dietary intervention lies in the reduction in inflammation and modulation of gut microbiota. However, conflicting results and methodological heterogeneity jeopardize the transition of these approaches from the field of research to clinical practice. Together with a nutritional approach, innovative methods of microbiota modulation, including probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation, are emerging as safe and effective strategies in managing chronic pouchitis. This narrative review analyzes recent advancements in nutritional therapies and microbiota modulation as innovative and complementary approaches for managing chronic pouchitis. After examining microbiota modulation strategies, specifically the effectiveness of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation in restoring microbial diversity and their potential role in alleviating symptoms, the review assesses the available clinical evidence concerning dietary interventions and their impact on gut microbiota. A comprehensive understanding of interventions aimed at modulating the microbiota is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of conventional therapies. Such strategies may lead to significant improvements in patients’ quality of life and their perception of the disease. However, the variability in microbiota composition, the use of restrictive diets, and the lack of standardized methods for evaluating these interventions remain significant challenges. Future research is essential to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and optimize clinical application.