Cultural Perspectives on the Efficacy and Adoption of the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet across Diverse Ethnicities: A Case-Based Overview

Abstract

Background: The Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) is a whole-foods regimen that has demonstrated efficacy in inducing remission among children and adults with mild-to-moderate disease. While initial studies predominantly originated from Israel, recent years have witnessed the expansion of experiences to diverse cultures, culminating in the recognition of CDED in the latest ESPEN guidelines. However, implementing dietary therapy poses significant challenges across various cultures, necessitating adaptations.

Aim and methods: This case-based study aims to present the collective experience from different cultures, shedding light on the encountered challenges and the corresponding solutions devised to surmount them by convening healthcare providers (dietitians and physicians across six countries and eight cultural settings) with extensive experience in utilizing the CDED.

Results and conclusions: Our findings underscore the efficacy of CDED across diverse cultural contexts and emphasize the pivotal role of dietitians in tailoring the diet to accommodate patients' cultural behaviors and traditions. We highlight challenges encountered and delineate strategies for overcoming them by customizing the diet and offering tailored guidance. Additionally, we provide insights into implementing CDED in various regions through adjusted recipes and personalized counseling from dietitians. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on CDED, and offers practical guidance for its effective adoption in diverse cultural settings.