{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,6]],"date-time":"2026-09-06T02:09:57Z","timestamp":1788660597990,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"22","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]],"date-time":"2025-11-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762905600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Semmelweis University Research and Innovation Fund"},{"name":"J\u00e1nos Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences","award":["BO\/00693\/25\/5"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["BO\/00693\/25\/5"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012550","name":"National Research, Development and Innovation Fund","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["2024-2.1.2-EK\u00d6P-KDP New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024-2.1.2-EK\u00d6P-KDP New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012550","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has increased globally, particularly in developed countries. UPFs are energy-dense and nutrient-poor, and they often contain additives that can disrupt gut flora and increase intestinal permeability. There is evidence to suggest that processed foods may contribute to the onset of IBD and also impact its progression and response to treatment. This study investigated whether children with IBD consume more UPFs than healthy controls and examined the association between UPF intake and disease activity. Methods: This pilot cross-sectional case\u2013control study recruited children with IBD from the Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic at the Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute in Budapest, Hungary, between December 2023 and February 2025. Age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were also enrolled. Dietary intake was assessed using two days of 24 h recalls. UPF intake was categorized using the NOVA system and expressed as a percentage of total daily energy intake. Results: A total of 47 children with IBD were matched with HCs. There was no difference in total energy intake between the two groups. Children with UC had a significantly higher intake of UPFs than HCs (MD: 10.5%, p = 0.02), whereas no difference was observed in children with CD after excluding oral nutritional support. No difference in UPF intake was observed between children with active or inactive disease. However, children receiving biological therapy consumed significantly fewer UPFs than those receiving other treatments (MD: 8%, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Children with IBD consume more UPFs compared to HC. The UPF intake of children with CD was not lower than healthy children despite the recommended Crohn\u2019s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED).<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17223532","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]],"date-time":"2025-11-12T07:58:32Z","timestamp":1762934312000},"page":"3532","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Ultra-Processed Food Intake in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Pilot Case\u2013Control Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Emese","family":"Kaszn\u00e1r","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"},{"name":"Centre for Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dorina","family":"Bajz\u00e1t","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"},{"name":"Centre for Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Karoliny","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Judit","family":"Szentannay","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e1s","family":"Szab\u00f3","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eszter","family":"Gombos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vivien","family":"Regi\u00e1n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dietetics and Nutrition Sciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anik\u00f3","family":"Havasi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hungarian Dietetic Association, 1034 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5006-027X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Erzs\u00e9bet","family":"P\u00e1lfi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dietetics and Nutrition Sciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5355-4224","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katalin","family":"M\u00fcller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Heim P\u00e1l National Pediatric Institute, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"},{"name":"Department of Family Care Methodology, Faculty of Health Science, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1017\/S1368980017000234","article-title":"The UN Decade of Nutrition, the NOVA food classification and the trouble with ultra-processing","volume":"21","author":"Monteiro","year":"2018","journal-title":"Public Health Nutr."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1007\/s13679-014-0092-0","article-title":"Food Classification Systems Based on Food Processing: Significance and Implications for Policies and Actions: A Systematic Literature Review and Assessment","volume":"3","author":"Moubarac","year":"2014","journal-title":"Curr. Obes. Rep."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2483","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cgh.2023.01.012","article-title":"Food Processing and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"21","author":"Narula","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"308","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114520002688","article-title":"Consumption of ultra-processed foods and health status: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"125","author":"Pagliai","year":"2021","journal-title":"Br. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Borowitz, S.M. (2022). The epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease: Clues to pathogenesis?. Front. Pediatr., 10.","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2022.1103713"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhang, P. (2022). Influence of Foods and Nutrition on the Gut Microbiome and Implications for Intestinal Health. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms23179588"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"861","DOI":"10.1093\/nutrit\/nuad101","article-title":"The association of ultra-processed food consumption with adult inflammatory bowel disease risk: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of 4 035 694 participants","volume":"82","author":"Babaei","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nutr. Rev."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1068","DOI":"10.1093\/ecco-jcc\/jjaa254","article-title":"Food Additive Emulsifiers and Their Impact on Gut Microbiome, Permeability, and Inflammation: Mechanistic Insights in Inflammatory Bowel Disease","volume":"15","author":"Bancil","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Crohns Colitis"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6809","DOI":"10.3748\/wjg.v21.i22.6809","article-title":"Exclusive enteral nutrition in children with Crohn\u2019s disease","volume":"21","author":"Day","year":"2015","journal-title":"World J. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lamers, C.R., de Roos, N.M., and Witteman, B.J.M. (2020). The association between inflammatory potential of diet and disease activity: Results from a cross-sectional study in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. BMC Gastroenterol., 20.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12876-020-01435-4"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1314","DOI":"10.1002\/ibd.21493","article-title":"Pediatric modification of the Montreal classification for inflammatory bowel disease: The Paris classification","volume":"17","author":"Levine","year":"2011","journal-title":"Inflamm. Bowel Dis."},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"439","article-title":"Development and validation of a pediatric Crohn\u2019s disease activity index","volume":"12","author":"Hyams","year":"1991","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1053\/j.gastro.2007.05.029","article-title":"Development, validation, and evaluation of a pediatric ulcerative colitis activity index: A prospective multicenter study","volume":"133","author":"Turner","year":"2007","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Microsoft Corporation (2023, November 30). Microsoft Excel. Available online: https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/excel."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"795","DOI":"10.1097\/MPG.0000000000000239","article-title":"ESPGHAN revised porto criteria for the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease in children and adolescents","volume":"58","author":"Levine","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1097\/MPG.0000000000002035","article-title":"Management of Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis, Part 1: Ambulatory Care-An Evidence-based Guideline From European Crohn\u2019s and Colitis Organization and European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition","volume":"67","author":"Turner","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"292","DOI":"10.1097\/MPG.0000000000002036","article-title":"Management of Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis, Part 2: Acute Severe Colitis-An Evidence-based Consensus Guideline From the European Crohn\u2019s and Colitis Organization and the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition","volume":"67","author":"Turner","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"jjaa161","article-title":"The Medical Management of Paediatric Crohn\u2019s Disease: An ECCO-ESPGHAN Guideline Update","volume":"15","author":"Aloi","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Crohns Colitis"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"660","DOI":"10.2471\/BLT.07.043497","article-title":"Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents","volume":"85","author":"Onyango","year":"2007","journal-title":"Bull. World Health Organ."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"(2025, May 01). Corp I: IBM SPSS Statistics, 25.0 edition; 2017. Available online: https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/spss."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3031","DOI":"10.1016\/j.numecd.2021.07.019","article-title":"Ultra-processed foods consumption and diet quality of European children, adolescents and adults: Results from the I.Family study","volume":"31","author":"Lauria","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"278","DOI":"10.1111\/nbu.70001","article-title":"Ultra Processed Food Consumption in Children and Adolescents: Main Food Group Contributors and Associations with Weight Status","volume":"50","author":"Petridi","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nutr. Bull."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1111\/nbu.12711","article-title":"The association between ultra-processed food consumption and low-grade inflammation in childhood: A cross-sectional study","volume":"49","author":"Mete","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nutr. Bull."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e13174","DOI":"10.1111\/ijpo.13174","article-title":"The association of ultra-processed food intake with adolescent metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in the NHANES","volume":"20","author":"Buytaert","year":"2025","journal-title":"Pediatr. Obes."},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"3","article-title":"Consumption of ultra-processed foods in Canada","volume":"31","author":"Polsky","year":"2020","journal-title":"Health Rep."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gold, S.L., Kohler, D., Freid, H., Haskey, N., and Raman, M. (2024). Food Insecurity Is Common in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Is Associated with Increased Ultra-Processed Food Intake. Nutrients, 16.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu16213736"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.1159\/000541196","article-title":"Ultra-Processed Foods Consumption Is Positively Associated with the Clinical Activity of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Single-Center Study","volume":"9","author":"Isakov","year":"2024","journal-title":"Inflamm. Intest. Dis."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"535","DOI":"10.1093\/ecco-jcc\/jjac167","article-title":"Intake of Ultra-processed Foods Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Crohn\u2019s Disease: A Cross-sectional and Prospective Analysis of 187 154 Participants in the UK Biobank","volume":"17","author":"Chen","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Crohns Colitis"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clnesp.2023.06.006","article-title":"Phase angle values and ultra-processed food consumption are associated with changes in oxidative stress in inflammatory bowel disease patients","volume":"57","author":"Severo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clin. Nutr. ESPEN"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1102","DOI":"10.14309\/ajg.0000000000002667","article-title":"Ultra-Processed Food, Disease Activity, and Inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis: The Manitoba Living with IBD Study","volume":"119","author":"Vagianos","year":"2024","journal-title":"Am. J. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"247","article-title":"Role of diet in prevention versus treatment of Crohn\u2019s disease and ulcerative colitis","volume":"15","author":"Halmos","year":"2024","journal-title":"Frontline Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vissers, E., Wellens, J., and Sabino, J. (2022). Ultra-processed foods as a possible culprit for the rising prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases. Front. Med., 9.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2022.1058373"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rondinella, D., Raoul, P.C., Valeriani, E., Venturini, I., Cintoni, M., Severino, A., Galli, F.S., Mora, V., Mele, M.C., and Cammarota, G. (2025). The Detrimental Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on the Human Gut Microbiome and Gut Barrier. Nutrients, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17050859"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Naqvi, S.A., Taylor, L.M., Panaccione, R., Ghosh, S., Barkema, H.W., Hotte, N., Shommu, N., Kaur, S., Reimer, R.A., and Madsen, K.L. (2021). Dietary patterns, food groups and nutrients in Crohn\u2019s disease: Associations with gut and systemic inflammation. Sci. Rep., 11.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-80924-8"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1627","DOI":"10.1093\/ibd\/izab335","article-title":"Dietary Patterns and Their Association with Symptoms Activity in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases","volume":"28","author":"Limketkai","year":"2022","journal-title":"Inflamm. Bowel Dis."}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/22\/3532\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,26]],"date-time":"2025-11-26T10:20:13Z","timestamp":1764152413000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/22\/3532"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"22","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11]]}},"alternative-id":["nu17223532"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu17223532","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6643","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,12]]}}}