D-ECCO

Therapeutic diets are not new to medicine. Records from St Bartholomew's Hospital in London show hospital "milk diets" and "broth diets" being prescribed centuries before dietetics existed as a formal profession [1]. Yet diet therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has been slow to follow. 1946 marked the first reported attempt to treat Ulcerative Colitis through diet (raw pork enemas), but it was not until the 1970s that exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) emerged as an effective induction therapy for Crohn's Disease.

The 11th D-ECCO Workshop took place in Stockholm in February 2026 as part of the ECCO Congress, bringing together dietitians and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals with a shared interest in diet and nutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The workshop once again highlighted the growing importance of nutritional science in IBD care, combining evidence-based updates with practical clinical insights and interactive discussion.

The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) has compiled its first Consensus on the dietary management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), recognising that the role of diet has evolved significantly beyond basic nutritional needs to become a therapeutic tool capable of influencing disease activity and complications.

Sarcopenia is a complex, multifactorial condition characterised by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, independent of body mass index (BMI) [1]. Unlike protein–energy malnutrition (PEM), sarcopenia encompasses a broader pathophysiological process affected not only by inadequate nutrition but also by chronic inflammation, disease-related metabolic alterations, ageing and physical inactivity [2, 3]. The recognition and management of sarcopenia are gaining importance in the field of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) due to its considerable impact on clinical outcomes.

The D-ECCO Travel Award offers IBD Dietitians an opportunity to visit other IBD Centres, to learn about diet and nutrition in IBD. Verena Mëllo was awarded at ECCO’25 and travelled to the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

We were in Berlin for the 10th D-ECCO Workshop! The workshop was full, with our largest attendance to date – 194 participants, including not only dietitians but also a great mix of specialists from all over the world. I, Chen Sarbagili (the Netherlands), opened the workshop by informing participants that the ECCO Consensus on Diet and Nutrition in IBD would be presented for the first time during this ECCO’s plenary session, as well as by presenting the various opportunities available to all IBD Dietitian Members, including the D-ECCO Grant and the D-ECCO Travel Award.

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is a prescribed liquid diet providing 100% of energy intake while excluding all other foods and drinks. EEN is established as an effective therapy for Crohn's Disease (CD) that induces remission in up to 80% of patients [1, 2].

The D-ECCO Travel Award offers IBD Dietitians an opportunity to visit other IBD Centres, to learn about diet and nutrition in IBD. Guia Becherucci was awarded at ECCO’24 and travelled to the University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.

Recent interest has focused on the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in IBD. UPFs are foods whose constituent ingredients are of exclusive industrial availability. Across Europe, 30%–60% of energy intake in the diet is from UPFs. Higher intakes of UPFs (especially through consumption of soft drinks, processed meat, salty snacks and refined sweetened foods) are associated with a greater risk of developing IBD, although a meta-analysis demonstrated an increased risk for Crohn’s Disease but not Ulcerative Colitis.

Diet in Inflammatory Bowel Disease has become a hot topic in recent years, pushed forward by advances in our understanding of the microbiome and the promise of nutrition as therapy, particularly in Crohn’s Disease. One of the most important questions in clinic (and yet the hardest to answer) remains “What can I eat?” or variations of the same. The reason this question is so difficult to answer is the enormous complexity in how diet overlays IBD and also the lack of high-quality scientific studies addressing this specific problem...

We were in Stockholm for the 9th D-ECCO Workshop! The workshop was full, with 162 attendees including not only dietitians but also a great mix of specialists from all over the world. Lihi Godny, the D-ECCO Chair, opened the workshop by presenting the various opportunities available to all IBD Dietitian Members, including the D-ECCO Grant and four Travel Awards.

The D-ECCO Committee would like to express gratitude to Lihi Godny, the retiring D-ECCO Chair, for her invaluable contribution in formulating and promoting a variety of opportunities for all IBD Dietitians.