The number of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increased fivefold in Brazil from 2012 to 2025. The incidence of these diseases – such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis – rose from 30 to 158 cases per 100,000 people during that time span.

The data come from a study presented at the 74th Brazilian Congress of Coloproctology, which runs through this Saturday (Sep. 26) in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina.

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The study was conducted by two members of the Brazilian Society of Coloproctology (SBCP): Abel Quaresma, from the University of Western Santa Catarina (Unoesc), and Paulo Kotze, from the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR).

They collaborated with researchers from the University of Calgary, in Canada, the University of São Paulo (USP), the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), and others.

Based on records from Brazil’s national public health care network, the SUS, the scientists also found that the number of new cases diagnosed per year increased from 9.35 to 12.34 during the period.

The illness

Inflammatory bowel diseases are autoimmune disorders that lead to a chronic inflammatory process.

Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are multifactorial, meaning there is not just one cause, but several, Abel Quaresma noted.

Previous research has identified a genetic component. However, not all patients affected by these diseases have the genetic variations that studies associate with the development of IBD.

Environmental factors, therefore, are also linked to the development of these conditions.

“We don’t know the causal factor yet. We know they are multifactorial diseases. There’s genetics, pollution, and dietary habits. Our diet has changed a lot in recent years.”

The expert points out that ultra-processed foods contain numerous additives that may contribute to these inflammatory diseases.

“Twenty years ago, you’d buy a loaf of bread at the bakery, and four or five days later, it would go moldy. Nowadays, you buy a loaf of bread, and it stays fresh for three months.”

Preservatives, colorants, and thickeners – substances that make food cheaper, increase its volume, enhance its color and smell, and extend its shelf life – are what trigger these diseases, he went on to say.

The specialists expect the incidence of new cases to reach 22.7 per 100,000 citizens by 2035.

If this is confirmed, the projection is that, by 2035, the number of people with these diseases could reach 264 per 100,000 inhabitants – that is, 67 percent more than observed in 2025.

“These are diseases that were considered rare until around 2015. And they’re having a surge worldwide, including in Brazil. We project that, starting in 2040, they’ll become a public health problem, just like high blood pressure and diabetes.”

He also points out that these diseases have no cure, and treatment aims to control the inflammatory process and symptoms. The cost of these medications can reach BRL 500,000 per patient every year.

“Patients are often diagnosed at a young age and will need ongoing care for decades.”