Published online Mar 28, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i12.1779
Peer-review started: October 29, 2022
First decision: January 3, 2023
Revised: January 13, 2023
Accepted: March 14, 2023
Article in press: March 14, 2023
Published online: March 28, 2023
Processing time: 150 Days and 2.3 Hours
Obesity is prevalent within the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population, particularly in newly developed countries. Several epidemiological studies have suggested that 15%-40% of IBD patients are obese, and there is a potential role of obesity in the pathogenesis of IBD. The dysfunction of mesenteric fat worsens the inflammatory course of Crohn’s disease and may induce formation of strictures or fistulas. Furthermore, obesity may affect the disease course or treatment response of IBD. Given the increasing data supporting the pathophysiologic and epidemiologic relationship between obesity and IBD, obesity control is being suggested as a novel management for IBD. Therefore, this review aimed to describe the influence of obesity on the outcomes of IBD treatment and to present the current status of pharmacologic or surgical anti-obesity treatments in IBD patients.
Core Tip: Obesity is prevalent within the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population, particularly in newly developed countries. The dysfunction of mesenteric fat worsens the inflammatory course of Crohn’s disease and may induce formation of strictures or fistulas. Furthermore, obesity may affect the disease course or treatment response of IBD. Along with the increasing data that support pathophysiologic and epidemiologic relationship between obesity and IBD, attention is being focused on obesity control as a novel management of IBD. The main purpose of this review is to describe the influence of obesity on the outcomes of IBD treatment and to present the current status of pharmacologic or surgical anti-obesity treatments in IBD patients.