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Crohn DiseaseNCT04239248

"Tasty&Healthy" Dietary Approach for Crohn's Disease

A study testing Tasty&Healthy intervention group and EEN intervention group in people with Crohn Disease, run by Shaare Zedek Medical Center at 1 site in Israel.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Despite the advent of multiple novel medications, many patients with Crohn's disease (CD) fail to achieve mucosal healing (MH). Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) has been shown to induce clinical remission accompanied by MH in many of CD patients. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 6 to 40 years
Conditions the study is for
Crohn Disease
What is being tested?
Tasty&Healthy intervention group and EEN intervention group
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
129 participants
Where
1 siteIsrael
Study dates
1 Apr 2020to 1 Jul 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 6 to 40 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult

Who may be able to join

  • ACTIVE-RCT-I
  • Children and young adults aged 6-24 years with established diagnosis of CD by European crohn's and colitis organisation (ECCO) /The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) criteria.
  • <1 years of disease duration since the time of CD diagnosis.
  • Willingness to provide stool samples during the visits, at baseline, week 4 and week 8.
  • Mild- moderate disease activity (wPCDAI 20-57.5 or CDAI 200-45) or milder disease (wPCDAI 12.5-57.5 or CDAI 150-450) that according to the physician's discretion warrants an immediate change in treatment (and thus cannot be included in the MH-RCT-II that has a non-treatment arm).
  • Currently receiving no drug treatment or on maintenance treatment with immunomodulators (at stable dose for at least 16 weeks) or 5-aminosalicylic acid (5ASA)/sulfasalazine (at stable dose for at least 8 weeks). No current or prior treatment with biologics is allowed (i.e. biologic-naïve).
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  • MH-RCT-II
  • Children and young adults aged 6-40 years with established diagnosis of CD by ECCO/ESPGHAN criteria.
  • <1 years of disease duration since the time of CD diagnosis, or <3 years of disease duration since the time of CD diagnosis for patients without evidence of significant bowel wall thickening (≤4 mm) without any damage as much as known.
  • Willingness to provide stool samples during the visits, at baseline, week 4 and week 8.
  • MINI ≥8 points.
  • Clinical remission or at most minimal symptoms (wPCDAI<20/ CDAI<200) that according to the physician's discretion do not warrant immediate medical treatment.
  • Receiving no treatment or on maintenance treatment with immunomodulators and/or first biologic (both at stable dose and interval for at least 16 weeks), and/or 5ASA/sulfasalazine (at stable dose for at least 8 weeks).
  • Second line biologics are allowed for patients without evidence of significant bowel wall thickening (≤4 mm) without bowel damage as much as known.

Who cannot join

  • Fibrostenotic or penetrating phenotype.
  • Fistulizing perianal disease which is not in complete remission.
  • "Ulcerative colitis (UC)-like" isolated Crohn's colitis.
  • Prior failure of exclusive enteral nutrition or any other dietary intervention, for any reason.
  • The use of steroids or budesonide in the recent month, or antibiotics prescribed to treat the CD in the previous two weeks.
  • Any formula feed during the last month.
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  • Prior intestinal resection.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Celiac disease.
  • For ACTIVE-RCT-I: any prior or concurrent biologic therapy; for MH-RCT-II: any prior or concurrent biologic therapy other than second line biologic

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Israel1 site
  • Shaare Zedek Medical Center

    Jerusalem

Other trials in Israel

About this study

Official title: "Tasty&Healthy" is Not a Diet But a Dietary Approach: Randomized Controlled Trials of Excluding Pro-inflammatory Nutrients for Inducing and Maintaining Remission in Crohn's Disease

Despite the advent of multiple novel medications, many patients with Crohn's disease (CD) fail to achieve mucosal healing (MH). Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) has been shown to induce clinical remission accompanied by MH in many of CD patients. The aim of this proposal is to explore the effectiveness of the "Tasty\&Healthy" dietary approach based on avoiding "pro-inflammatory" and processed ingredients, for inducing and maintaining remission and MH in children and young adults. This approach is based on the previously published charity cook-book "Tasty\&Healthy" and might be more feasible than currently available nutritional treatments in CD. It does not offer a rigid diet with specific nutrients and does not require concurrent use of a formula feed.

The investigators hypothesize that a flexible dietary intervention of excluding processed and pro-inflammatory ingredients will improve the rate of clinical remission and MH without the need for liquid formula or structured rigid diet which are more difficult to adhere to. The investigators also hypothesize that home kits of Fecal calprotectin (FC), can personalize the diet thereby increasing feasibility for maintenance therapy in some patients.

Read the detailed description

The investigators plan to conduct a set of three studies: Two randomized controlled trials (RCT) both including the Tasty\&Healthy dietary intervention for 8 weeks in CD patients aged 6-24 years vs. 1) EEN in mild-moderate CD, and the other RCT in CD patients aged 6-40 years vs. 2) a control group continuing their habitual diet in those with mucosal inflammation despite stable medical treatment, but who are in clinical remission or have only minimal symptoms not requiring immediate treatment.

As a third study, responders from both trials will be offered to participate in an open label extension personalized-diet study of further 16 weeks (total 24 weeks), in which gluten and dairy will be gradually re-introduced based on repeated monthly home assays of FC while otherwise following the Tasty\&Healthy dietary intervention in a treat-to-target management approach.

Patients will be evaluated at baseline, week 4 and week 8 with additional weekly phone visits to ensure adherence with the diets and address questions.

The extension study will include two clinic visits at weeks 16 and 24 and a monthly call to ensure adherence.

The investigators hope to establish a dietary-approach which is simpler to implement than current nutritional alternatives. It will enable high flexibility in the allowed foods and does not require liquid formula. In turn, this could position Tasty\&Healthy, not merely for inducing remission, but also as a feasible maintenance strategy in selected patients.

Conditions
Crohn Disease
Being tested
Tasty&Healthy intervention group, EEN intervention group
Medical subject headings
Crohn Disease

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Tasty&Healthy intervention groupDietary supplement

    patients will receive dietary advice to exclude pro-inflammatory dietary components based on the book "Tasty\&Healthy".

  • EEN intervention groupDietary supplement

    Oral exclusive feeding of formulated food (EEN), using Modulen formula only, for 8 weeks in amount based on the Daily Recommendations Intake. Those not tolerating oral EEN can receive EEN via a nasogastric tube.

Study groups in NCT04239248
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
ACTIVE-RCT-I Tasty&Healthy intervention groupExperimentalPatients with mild-moderately symptomatic disease, will follow the Tasty\&Healthy dietary approach.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Tasty&Healthy intervention group
ACTIVE-RCT-I Control groupActive comparatorPatients with mild-moderately symptomatic disease, will receive EEN with Modulen formula only.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: EEN intervention group
MH-RCT-II Tasty&Healthy intervention groupExperimentalPatients with laboratory evidence of mucosal inflammation but who are asymptomatic or have only minimal symptoms not requiring immediate treatment modification, will follow the Tasty\&Healthy dietary approach.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Tasty&Healthy intervention group
MH-RCT-II Control groupNo interventionPatients with laboratory evidence of mucosal inflammation but who are asymptomatic or have only minimal symptoms not requiring immediate treatment modification, will continue their habitual diet.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. ACTIVE-RCT-I: patient's tolerance to the diet by week 8.

    Percent of patients tolerating the diet. Tolerance is defined as the absence of all of the three following items:

    1. Intolerance: cessation of dietary therapy because of patient's refusal to continue diet (based on reporting and the 24 hour recall);
    2. Poor adherence based on the modified Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS) questionnaire; The modified MARS questionnaire rates How closely patients adhere to the diet. This is a self-report measure of adherence. It can be used to determine patients' willingness and ability to comply with the diet daily. A score of 1-5 indicates that the patient is not adherent; a score of 6-9 indicates that the patient is adherent.
    3. Poor adherence based on direct questioning (any answer other than "adheres to diet very often/always" will be considered poor compliant).

    Measured: 8 weeks

  2. MH-RCT-II: Rate of mucosal healing (MH).

    Percent of patients achieving MH defined by the proportion of patients with FC response as defined by reduction of at least 50% of FC levels from baseline; this has been added to the initial primary endpoint (i.e. MINI<8 points) after enrolling five patients given new data that the MINI is less accurate in adults.

    Measured: 8 weeks

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Percent of patients achieving MH rate at Week 8 assessed with panenteric capsule endoscopy (i.e. Crohn's capsule) at the end of both trials as the major secondary outcome.

    Rate of MH defined by a central reading panel which will include leading irritable bowel disease (IBD) medical experts. This panel will determine the mucosal inflammation rate at week 8.

    Measured: 8 weeks

  2. Percent of patients achieving clinical remission rate

    Weighted Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (wPCDAI) by<12.5 points or Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI)<150

    Measured: 8 weeks

  3. Response rate defined as percent of patients achieving clinical remission and either reduction of FC levels.

    Clinical remission: wPCDAI by<12.5 points or CDAI<150, and either reduction of at least 50% of FC levels from baseline or FC levels<150 µgr/gr.

    Measured: 8 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted27 Jan 2020
  2. Study start1 Apr 2020
  3. Primary completion1 Jul 2024
  4. Study completion1 Jul 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Investigator
Enrolment
129 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04239248
Sponsor's protocol ID
Tasty&Healthy
Status last verified
Apr 2025
First submitted
27 Nov 2019
Last updated
27 Apr 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Plotkin L, Aharoni-Frutkoff Y, Pollak D, Azulay A, Shavit Z, Focht G, Livovsky J, Lev-Tzion R, Koslowsky B, Boneh RS, Weiss B, Slae M, Dotan I, Godny L, Kierkus J, Garwolinska M, Broide E, Moshe G, Griffiths AM, Tersigni C, Naftali T, Abramas L, D'arcangelo G, Yerushalmy-Feler A, Schwerd T, Crowley E, Wine E, Yassour M, Reifen R, Turner D. Tasty&Healthy Whole-Food Diet in Asymptomatic Children and Young Adults With Biologically Active Crohn's Disease: The TASTI-E Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026 Jun 17:S1542-3565(26)00433-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2026.05.029. Online ahead of print.

    PubMed 42309429
  • Aharoni-Frutkoff Y, Plotkin L, Pollak D, Livovsky J, Focht G, Lev-Tzion R, Ledder O, Assa A, Yogev D, Orlanski-Meyer E, Broide E, Kierkus J, Kang B, Weiss B, Aloi M, Schwerd T, Shouval DS, Bramuzzo M, Griffiths AM, Yassour M, Turner D. Whole Food Diet Induces Remission in Children and Young Adults With Mild to Moderate Crohn's Disease and Is More Tolerable Than Exclusive Enteral Nutrition: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Gastroenterology. 2025 Dec;169(7):1462-1474.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.06.011. Epub 2025 Jun 17.

    PubMed 40553742

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Tasty&Healthy intervention group and EEN intervention group in people with Crohn Disease, run by Shaare Zedek Medical Center at 1 site in Israel.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 14 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Israel. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

ACTIVE-RCT-I: patient's tolerance to the diet by week 8. (time frame: 8 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04239248, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Apr 2025.

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