The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves a complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and microbial factors. Many of these environmental determinants are modifiable, offering opportunities to prevent disease or delay its onset. Advances in the study of preclinical IBD cohorts offer the potential to identify biomarkers that predict individuals at high risk of developing IBD, enabling targeted environmental interventions aimed at reducing IBD incidence. This review summarizes findings from 79 meta-analyses on modifiable environmental factors associated with the development of IBD. Identified risk factors include smoking, Western diets, ultra-processed foods, and early-life antibiotic use, while protective factors include breastfeeding, Mediterranean diets rich in fiber, plant-based foods, and fish, along with an active physical lifestyle. Despite the promise shown by observational data, interventional or randomized controlled studies evaluating the efficacy of modifying environmental risk factors remain limited and mostly focus on dietary intervention. This review aims to inform the design of higher-quality interventional and randomized controlled studies for disease prevention while providing actionable guidance to healthcare providers on reducing the risk of developing IBD through environmental modifications.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
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Other
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Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 14. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 10 April 2026.
All research outputs
#3,463,753
of 34,294,832 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Crohn's and Colitis
#595
of 3,015 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#40,244
of 361,345 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Crohn's and Colitis
#6
of 33 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 34,294,832 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 89th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 3,015 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 13.2. This one has done well, scoring higher than 80% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 361,345 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 88% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 33 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 81% of its contemporaries.
