# Disparities in fatigue levels and dietary habits between men and women with inflammatory bowel disease: a comparative analysis with a control cohort

## TL;DR

This study finds that women with inflammatory bowel disease experience more fatigue and lower quality of life than men, with diet and inflammation playing a role.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into sex-specific differences in fatigue and dietary habits among IBD patients compared to a control group.

## Key findings

- Women with IBD had significantly lower fatigue and quality of life scores than men with IBD.
- Men with IBD showed more adaptive dietary patterns compared to women with IBD and the control group.
- Inflammation markers like CRP and fecal calprotectin were linked to fatigue levels in women with IBD.

## Abstract

There is a paucity of research on sex differences in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly in relation to diet and fatigue.

This is a subanalysis of a monocentric cross-sectional study that was performed at a tertiary referral center, with the study population comprising individuals diagnosed with IBD (n = 233) and a control cohort (CC; n = 96).

The mean FACIT sum scores were found to be significantly lower for individuals with IBD compared to CC (p = 0.005; g = 0.3). Additionally, women with IBD had significantly lower scores compared to men with IBD (25 to 29; p = 0.009; g = − 0.3). This trend was further supported by the observation of stronger declines in quality of life and food-related quality of life in women with IBD (p < 0.001; g = − 0.8; and p = 0.004; g = 0.6). Additionally, objective parameters of IBD activity (fecal calprotectin) and inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP]) exhibited significant differences between fatigue levels in women with IBD (p = 0.003; g = − 0.4; and p = 0.034; g = − 0.3). The comparative cohort analysis revealed a prevailing trend of suboptimal dietary habits among men with IBD and women, both with and without fatigue, when contrasted with the control cohort. Detailed analysis of dietary patterns in relation to fatigue revealed discernible trends especially in men with IBD indicating a more adaptive pattern.

This thorough analysis sheds further light on the complex interplay between dietary habits, psychosocial factors and fatigue in individuals with IBD, with a particular focus on sex-specific aspects.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00394-026-03902-2.