But Crohn's disease doesn't always cause weight loss. Sometimes, it causes the scale to go up. One study found that 40 percent of people with Crohn's had a body mass index in the overweight or obese range. It's not clear exactly why some people gain weight with Crohn's, but there are a number of possible causes.
Almost one-third (1/3) of people with Crohn's disease are overweight and about 1 out of 12 is actually obese. On the other hand, shows that those with Crohn's disease tend to be underweight with a lower body mass index (BMI)(Sousa Guerreiro and others, American J Gastroenterology 2007).
The inflammation linked to Crohn's can give you nausea and diarrhea, as well as curb your appetite. As a result, you may eat less, making it harder to keep weight on. Some Crohn's medicines may also affect your weight. Corticosteroids such as prednisone can cause temporary weight gain.
Can Crohn's or UC cause weight gain? Living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can absolutely lead to weight gain in some individuals. Despite what stereotypes are floating around the community, the internet, or even your doctor's office, not everyone with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis is stick thin.
Crohn's disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system. Inflammation can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the back passage. But it mostly occurs in the last section of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon).
People with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis frequently experience unwanted weight gain due to medication side effects and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms. Prednisone and other steroids are the top cited culprits for unwanted weight gain.
A person who has Crohn's disease can still exercise. However, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation suggests that a person with Crohn's disease limit exercise when they have a flare-up. It is important that a person allows their body to rest and recover from a flare-up before resuming normal exercise levels.
Limiting some food triggers may help control your symptoms during disease flares. But don't restrict yourself so much that you make malnutrition, which often accompanies Crohn's disease, worse. You'll need to find other sources to replace calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fats that are in the foods you eliminate.
Over time, Crohn's disease can lead to other complications, including bowel obstruction, ulcers, fistulas, anal fissures, malnutrition, and other health problems. It can also increase your risk for blood clots and colon cancer.
An increase in appetite and disordered eating can also occur in people with IBD. Binge eating, comfort eating, and impulse eating are all associated with IBD due to anxiety, depression, drug side effects, and factors associated with inflammation and the gut-brain axis.
People Most at Risk of Developing Crohn's Disease
Studies have shown that the disease is most prevalent in adolescents and adults up to 30 years of age as well as in White people and Ashkenazi Jews. In recent years, the prevalence of Crohn's disease among Asians and Hispanics has also significantly increased.
Most commonly, Crohn's affects your small intestine and the beginning of your large intestine. However, the disease can affect any part of your digestive tract, from your mouth to your anus. Learn more about your digestive system and how it works. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Most common are deficiencies of iron, B12, vitamin D, vitamin K, folic acid, selenium, zinc, vitamin B6, and vitamin B1. Deficiencies are more common in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis, and more in active disease than at times of remission.
Does Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis get worse with age? Both conditions can change as you age, but not necessarily for the worse. For some people, their condition may improve over time due to a treatment plan that works for them. For others, it may worsen or stay the same.
Intestinal endoscopy. Intestinal endoscopies are the most accurate methods for diagnosing Crohn's disease and ruling out other possible conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease, or cancer. Intestinal endoscopies include the following: Colonoscopy.
Some people go for years without having any symptoms, while others have more frequent flare-ups, or attacks. However, one thing is certain: Crohn's disease is a chronic condition. Chronic conditions are ongoing and long term.
Malnutrition affects about 65% to 75% of people with Crohn's disease and 18% to 62% of those with ulcerative colitis. IBD patients are often underweight, with nutritional deficiencies and changes in their body fat composition, muscle mass, and bone mineral density (which puts them at risk of fractures).
Gas and bloating are a concern for many people with Crohn's disease and colitis. Bloating is when your tummy feels swollen after eating. Gas and bloating seem to go hand in hand.
Mild Crohn's disease causes inflammation through the digestive system. At this stage of the disease, symptoms remain less severe and are more easily managed. Symptoms of mild Crohn's disease include abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, and bloating.