Nutrition and IBD for Dietitians

About Course

For patients with inflammatory bowel disease, proper nutritional care can be life-changing – and even lifesaving.

Conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can make it hard to properly ingest, digest, and absorb food and water. Because of this, they need to be managed carefully to keep patients as healthy as possible, and to prevent or alleviate nutrition-related complications like malnutrition and obstruction.

After completing this course, you will walk away with a greater understanding of the role of nutritional care in IBD, as well as a deeper insight into the science behind IBD pathophysiology and treatment.

Nutrition and IBD for Dietitians is designed to provide you with IBD-specific knowledge that you can apply in your practice as a dietitian.

It can be counted towards 15 CPD hours.

(Course accessible immediately upon enrolment and remains so for one year – price inclusive of GST)

The objectives of this course are to:

Understand the biological processes behind the development and presentation of IBD
Explore the diagnosis and treatment of IBD, including medical, surgical, and nutritional strategies
Apply this insight to the dietetic management of IBD patients, both throughout the patient journey and in a variety of disease contexts
Identify and reflect on the different nutritional therapies used to treat inflammation, complications, and symptoms
Apply knowledge of the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of coeliac disease to its dietetic management

Click here to download a course overview.

The GutSmart Team would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their generous contributions to this course:

Elizabeth Purcell, AdvAPD
Dr Emma Halmos, PhD, APD
Jessica Moon, APD
Dr Darcy Holt, MD

Course Content

Module 1 – Introducing IBD
In this module, you will learn about the genetic, environmental, and microbial factors that increase a person's risk of developing Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. The role of the immune system in IBD is also explored.

Module 1: Introduction
Introduction to IBD

01:36
Symptoms
Aetiology

03:52
Aetiology (continued)
Knowledge check 1.2
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology (continued)
Knowledge check 1.3
Complications
Complications (continued)
Knowledge check 1.4
The role of the dietitian
Reflection 1.1
References
Module 1: Final quiz
Knowledge check 1.1

Module 2 – Diagnosis And Treatment
This module will introduce you to our case-study Theo and take you through his healthcare journey. You will learn how a differential diagnosis of IBD is made, and why specific treatment options are considered for different patients.

Module 2: Introduction
Diagnosis
Diagnosis (continued)
Differential diagnosis
Knowledge check 2.1
Treatment

10:42
Medical management
Knowledge check 2.2
Medical management (continued)
Ongoing management
Knowledge check 2.3
Australian IBD Standards
References
Module 2: Final quiz

Module 3 – Nutritional care
In this module, you will consider the nutritional care requirements of patients like our case-study Anna. Through her experiences, you will become familiar with the nutritional effects of IBD and the different dietary strategies that are used to treat active disease and prevent or manage complications and functional symptoms.

Module 3: Introduction
Nutritional care in IBD
Nutritional assessment
Reflection 3.1
Nutritional adequacy in IBD

02:47
Nutritional adequacy in IBD (continued)
Knowledge check 3.1
Nutritional therapy
Reflection 3.2
Diets to treat active disease
Diets to treat active disease (continued)
Knowledge check 3.2
Diets to treat symptoms in IBD
Knowledge check 3.3
Diets to treat complications of IBD
Reflection 3.3
FAQ
References
Module 3: Final quiz

Module 4 – Surgical management
This module will explore surgery in IBD through our case-study Amir. You will learn about different surgical procedures and their dietetic management, from the pre-operative phase all the way through to at-home recovery, with a special focus on ostomy care.

Module 4: Introduction
Introduction to surgery in IBD
Surgery for IBD complications
Knowledge check 4.1
Resection and anastomosis
Colectomy and proctocolectomy
Knowledge check 4.2
Ostomies and IBD
Ostomies and IBD (continued)

01:37
Knowledge check 4.3
Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis
Reflection 4.1
Perioperative nutritional support

02:55
Reflection 4.2
References
Module 4: Final quiz

Module 5 – Intestinal failure
In this module, you will be introduced to intestinal failure – particularly short bowel syndrome – and the dietetic strategies that are used to minimise its effects on health and wellbeing. Through our case-study Miriam, you will deepen your understanding of enteral and parenteral nutrition and learn how dehydration and other complications can be managed.

Module 5: Introduction
Intestinal failure
Intestinal failure (continued)
Knowledge check 5.1
Short bowel syndrome
Knowledge check 5.2
Short bowel syndrome (continued)
Reflection 5.1
Intestinal rehabilitation
Nutritional management

04:51
Nutritional management (continued)
Reflection 5.2
Fluid and electrolyte management
Knowledge check 5.3
Complications of SBS
References
Module 5: Final quiz

Module 6 – Coeliac Disease
This module will explore coeliac disease through our case-study Tammy and her sister Maria. You will learn how patients are supported in implementing a gluten-free diet, and the different strategies that are used to help patients who do not respond well to treatment.

Module 6: Introduction
Introduction to Coeliac Disease

00:30
Aetiology and pathophysiology
Knowledge check 6.1
Clinical manifestations and complications

01:43
Knowledge check 6.2
Diagnosis

03:55
Knowledge check 6.3
Treatment
Reflection 6.1
Treatment (continued)
Knowledge check 6.4
Response and remission
Knowledge check 6.5
Managing uncertainty
References
Module 6: Final quiz
Thank you

About Course

Course Content

Module 1 – Introducing IBD In this module, you will learn about the genetic, environmental, and microbial factors that increase a person's risk of developing Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. The role of the immune system in IBD is also explored.

Module 1: Introduction

Introduction to IBD

Symptoms

Aetiology

Aetiology (continued)

Knowledge check 1.2

Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology (continued)

Knowledge check 1.3

Complications

Complications (continued)

Knowledge check 1.4

The role of the dietitian

Reflection 1.1

References

Module 1: Final quiz

Knowledge check 1.1

Module 2 – Diagnosis And Treatment This module will introduce you to our case-study Theo and take you through his healthcare journey. You will learn how a differential diagnosis of IBD is made, and why specific treatment options are considered for different patients.

Module 2: Introduction

Diagnosis

Diagnosis (continued)

Differential diagnosis

Knowledge check 2.1

Treatment

Medical management

Knowledge check 2.2

Medical management (continued)

Ongoing management

Knowledge check 2.3

Australian IBD Standards

References

Module 2: Final quiz

Module 3: Introduction

Nutritional care in IBD

Nutritional assessment

Reflection 3.1

Nutritional adequacy in IBD

Nutritional adequacy in IBD (continued)

Knowledge check 3.1

Nutritional therapy

Reflection 3.2

Diets to treat active disease

Diets to treat active disease (continued)

Knowledge check 3.2

Diets to treat symptoms in IBD

Knowledge check 3.3

Diets to treat complications of IBD

Reflection 3.3

FAQ

References

Module 3: Final quiz

Module 4 – Surgical management This module will explore surgery in IBD through our case-study Amir. You will learn about different surgical procedures and their dietetic management, from the pre-operative phase all the way through to at-home recovery, with a special focus on ostomy care.

Module 4: Introduction

Introduction to surgery in IBD

Surgery for IBD complications

Knowledge check 4.1

Resection and anastomosis

Colectomy and proctocolectomy

Knowledge check 4.2

Ostomies and IBD

Ostomies and IBD (continued)

Knowledge check 4.3

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis

Reflection 4.1

Perioperative nutritional support

Reflection 4.2

References

Module 4: Final quiz

Module 5: Introduction

Intestinal failure

Intestinal failure (continued)

Knowledge check 5.1

Short bowel syndrome

Knowledge check 5.2

Short bowel syndrome (continued)

Reflection 5.1

Intestinal rehabilitation

Module 1 – Introducing IBD
In this module, you will learn about the genetic, environmental, and microbial factors that increase a person's risk of developing Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. The role of the immune system in IBD is also explored.

Module 2 – Diagnosis And Treatment
This module will introduce you to our case-study Theo and take you through his healthcare journey. You will learn how a differential diagnosis of IBD is made, and why specific treatment options are considered for different patients.

Module 4 – Surgical management
This module will explore surgery in IBD through our case-study Amir. You will learn about different surgical procedures and their dietetic management, from the pre-operative phase all the way through to at-home recovery, with a special focus on ostomy care.

Module 6 – Coeliac Disease
This module will explore coeliac disease through our case-study Tammy and her sister Maria. You will learn how patients are supported in implementing a gluten-free diet, and the different strategies that are used to help patients who do not respond well to treatment.