Young Scientist Awards Diet and disease Actibity in ulcerative ciolitis Poonam Rana 1, Annie Anderson 2, John Cummings 3 1 University of Dundee, UK 2 Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK 3 Division of Pathology and Neuroscience, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK Email: p.rana@dundee.ac.uk Objective: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by a remitting and relapsing course. Many foods including milk, sugar, meat, fats and sulphur have been implicated but, evidence is scanty and conflicting. Intake of a high sugar, high protein diet has been implicated. Fast foods, soft drinks, chocolates, 'Western foods' Retinol and vitamin B6 have been associated with an increased risk of developing UC. Possible protective foods include coffee, germinated barley foodstuffs, fructose and Vitamin C. Role of fruit and vegetable intake in the ulcerative colitis disease activity is not clear. Most of the dietary studies which have examined the association between diets and UC are difficult to interpret because of the methodological weaknesses, recall bias and the possibility that the diet may have been changed due to the disease process. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between diet and disease activity. Methods: The study was a secondary analysis of data from a prospective randomised controlled trial of 82 subjects with UC who completed a 7-day diet diary. Results: Overall the diet of the patients was adequate when compared with the recommendations and the general population (NDNS survey). Intake of protein, sugar and saturated fats was higher when compared with the general population. Intakes of sugar and copper were associated with greater disease activity. Conclusions: It remains to be seen whether diet has a causative or modulatory role in Ulcerative colitis *Contact person email: drpoonamrana@gmail.com From "The 11th PENSA Congress" October 1-4, 2005, Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel, Seoul, Korea. Page: 274