Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic immune-mediated disorders of the gastrointestinal tract characterised by alternating periods of remission and relapse. Even in the absence of active inflammation, patients with quiescent disease frequently report symptoms consistent with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which may lead to restrictive dietary patterns and ultimately increase the risk of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of patients at risk of ARFID among individuals with quiescent IBD and IBS-type symptoms, and to evaluate association between the risk of ARFID and the FODMAP consumption. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to September 2025 on adult IBD patients followed in a tertiary Belgian center whose recent work-up showed endoscopic and biological remission as per STRIDE II criteria. Self-administered questionnaires (SCOFF-F, NIAS-Fr, FFQ-FODMAPs-BE, BSS, GAD-7, PHQ-9, IBS SSS, PRO-2, HBI) were completed remotely via REDCap. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed, with the significant threshold fixed at 5%. Results Sixty-two patients were enrolled (65% female, 66% Crohn’s disease, mean age 39±14 years). Overall, 16 patients (26%) screened positive for ARFID risk. Among these 16 patients, the distribution across subscales (picky eater, small appetite, fear of eating) was as followed: 63% (10/16) fulfilled one subscale, 31% (5/16) fulfilled two subscales, 6% (1/16) fulfilled all three. Higher IBS symptom severity was associated with a higher risk of positive screening for ARFID. In a multivariate logistic regression model, positive screening for risk of ARFID was associated with mild FODMAP consumption (FFQ-FODMAP-BE 1.80) and anxiety. Conclusion One in four patients with quiescent IBD has a positive screening for ARFID. Anxiety and low FODMAP intakes are the main determinants of positive screening. These findings support the need for integrated psychological and dietetic assessment in IBD patients presenting functional gastrointestinal symptoms. Conflict of interest: Mrs. Van Ouytsel, Pauline: No conflict of interest Cremer, Anneline: No conflict of interest Franchimont, Denis: No conflict of interest Liefferinckx, Claire: Consultancy/speaker fees: Takeda, Janssen, Abbvie, Alfasigma, Celltrion Amininejad, Leila: No conflict of interest Piessevaux, Hubert: No conflict of interest Louis, Hubert: No conflict of interest Vuckovic, Clémence: No conflict of interest
Ouytsel et al. (Thu,) studied this question.