Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-26-2026
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Obesity and related cardiometabolic comorbidities, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, are increasingly prevalent among individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These conditions influence disease activity, therapeutic response, surgical outcomes and overall quality of life, yet evidence remains fragmented. The Modulate Obesity and relateD metabolic complIcations For Yielding improvements in IBD outcomes (MODIFY-IBD) initiative aims to synthesise evidence and generate consensus recommendations to guide practice and future research in this area. This study describes a protocol for a structured evidence synthesis and Research And Development/University of California, Los Angeles (RAND/UCLA) Appropriateness Method (RUAM) consensus process.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct three systematic reviews and a structured evidence synthesis organised into three domains: (1) the impact of obesity on IBD outcomes, (2) the burden of cardiometabolic complications in IBD and (3) the management of overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities in IBD. A multidisciplinary international panel of gastroenterologists, surgeons, endocrinologists, hepatologists, cardiologists and dietitians will assess each statement using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method. Panellists will rate the appropriateness of each statement (only those that fall within their area of expertise) on a 1-9 scale (1-3=inappropriate, 4-6=uncertain and 7-9=appropriate), with medians rounded up (eg, 6.5=appropriate). Agreement will be assessed using the RAND Disagreement Index (DI< 1.0=agreement).
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study will not involve direct patient participation, as it is based on evidence synthesis and expert consensus; therefore, formal research ethics committee approval will not be required. Patient representatives will contribute to the consensus process to provide contextual perspectives but no identifiable data will be collected.Findings will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals, presentation at major gastroenterology and IBD conferences and communication with professional societies. A lay summary and patient-friendly infographic will also be developed to facilitate translation of recommendations into clinical practice.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBERS: CRD420251178843: a systematic review of the impact of obesity on inflammatory bowel disease outcomes.CRD420251178799: a systematic review of cardiometabolic complications in inflammatory bowel disease.CRD420251174653: management of overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review.
Recommended Citation
Devi, Jalpa; Samaan, Sami; Sehgal, Priya; Mohamed, Mouhand; Vincent, Matthew; Coombs, Shannon; Doering, Michelle; Barnes, Edward L.; Johnson, Amanda M.; Yarur, Andres J.; and Deepak, Parakkal, "Modulate Obesity and RelateD Metabolic ComplIcations For Yielding Improvements in IBD Outcomes (MODIFY-IBD): Consensus on Obesity and Cardiometabolic Comorbidities in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Using Systematic Reviews and the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method" (2026). Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers. Paper 132.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/gastro_hepfp/132
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
PubMed ID
42191195
Language
English
Comments
This article is the author’s final published version in BMJ Open, Volume 16, Issue 5, 2026, Article number e115709.
The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-115709. Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026.