Nutritional status of 50 confirmed ulcerative colitis patients (22 men, age 34.7 years) was assessed using anthropometric data (body mass index [BMI], mid upper arm circumference [MUAC], skin fold thickness [SFT], biochemical profile, detailed clinical history and diet history using dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire. Mean BMI was 19.5±4 kg/m2 , MUAC 22.8±3.8cm, SFT 14.4±3mm. BMI was <16 in 10 patients. The daily caloric intake for men and women was 2148±599kcal/day and 1893±389 kcal/day, proteins 70.7±30.1g/day and 57.8±14.9g/ day respectively, while Kcal/kg intake was 40.1±9.7 and 42.7±11.6 and proteins/kg was 1.3±0.5 and 1.3 ±0.4gm, respectively. BMI correlated with carbohydrate intake (p=0.01), calories/kg (p=0.00) and proteins/kg (p=0.05). MUAC correlated with number of meals consumed (p=0.01), fat intake (p=0.02) and kcal/kg (p=0.04), albumin (p=0.04) and frequency of patient kept fasting (p=0.00). SFT correlated with protein intake (p=0.04). BMI, MUAC and SFT did not correlate with duration of disease, number of relapses, disease activity and extent of disease. 38 patients had self imposed dietary restrictions (Milk 18, spicy foods 34, non vegetarian 11, oily foods 10, and other foods 11). Most patients with ulcerative colitis are malnourished.
