Nutrition in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

Nutrition interventions play a central role in the treatment and management of inflammatory bowel disease in children. Malnutrition is a common presenting symptom in both pediatric ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease and is associated with increased morbidity. Providing macronutrients can improve growth; likewise, identifying and correcting micronutrient deficiencies can improve comorbid conditions like osteopenia and anemia. Although many patients manipulate their diets to help treat their inflammatory bowel disease, only parenteral nutrition with bowel rest and exclusive enteral nutrition therapy have been shown effective for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.