Nutritional Therapy for IBD - Patient Pathway

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Nutritional Therapy Support for Patients with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis

Enteral Nutrition

Introduces the concept of enteral nutrition (EEN and PEN)

Photo Credit: Aleksey Korchemkin/Shutterstock

Enteral nutrition involves the use of a nutritionally complete liquid diet that provides either all or a certain percentage of daily calories. This liquid diet is often an over-the-counter meal replacement formula. There are two different forms of enteral nutrition: Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN) and Partial Enteral Nutrition (PEN).

Oct. 3, 2022, 1:48 p.m.

Jennifer Smith, RD
EEN can be effective and useful in a variety of ways.

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition
All calories come from a liquid diet (no solid food) for 6 to 8 weeks to induce remission.

Very effective for inducing remission in children with Crohn's disease (CD) with little to no side effects.
May be considered to induce remission at diagnosis or to get back to remission when in a flare.
May be considered for patients with CD who have fistulas, abscesses, and strictures, or who are planning surgery.
May be considered as a bridge to another therapy (see also Beginning Nutritional Therapy with EEN).

Partial Enteral Nutrition
Combines liquid nutrition (a specific percentage of calories from liquid diet) with solid foods.

May be used to help maintain remission
Best used adjunctively alongside pharmaceutical therapy
When used as a part of the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED), it may be considered to induce remission