Crohn’s disease and colitis are the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and they affect over 500,000 people in the UK.

Characterised by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, IBD can cause a whole range of health complications and can have a profound impact on a person’s life.

Although there is no cure, there are ways of managing the symptoms, including through diet.

Regulating what you eat and drink can help ease the impact IBD may have on someone’s quality of life.

So, how does nutrition affect the development and management of IBD? What food might trigger flares? And how can diet control help with those in remission?

Dr Miranda Lomer, Senior Consultant Dietitian in Gastroenterology, Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital & Reader in Dietetics at King’s College London

Miranda Lomer is a Senior Consultant Dietitian in Gastroenterology at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, London and has an adjunct appointment as Reader in Dietetics at King’s College London.

Dr Lomer qualified as a dietitian in 1990 and in 2002 she completed a PhD on diet and Crohn’s disease. Her research interests include the nutritional management of function bowel disorders (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome) and inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and orofacial granulomatosis) She has research skills in dietary assessment and nutritional management of these conditions and has expertise in conducting national audits, developing national guidelines and conducting multi-centre clinical trials.

She was chair of the Gastroenterology Specialist Group of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) from 2006-2010 and represented the BDA on the National IBD Standards Group Steering Committee from 2007-2012.

She was a committee member of the Dietitians of European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Working Group from 2015-2018. Dr Lomer is Editor of a book entitled Advanced Nutrition and Dietetics in Gastroenterology. She gave the BDA Elsie Widdowson Lecture in 2014 as recognition of her international impact in dietetics.

In 2016 she was awarded an MBE for services to dietetics and gastroenterology.

Mairi Wilcock RD BSc (Hons), Dietitian, Stanner Nutrition Clinic

Having spent many years in the NHS with a career specialising in Gastroenterology, Mairi is able to offer effective and reliable support for many digestive and gut problems.

She has also worked in the areas of cancer treatment, neurological conditions, heart care, weight management and diabetes.

Mairi is currently working at Stanner Nutrition Clinic.