Where your DNA places you among other people, and the studies behind it.
Not tailored to your result, and not medical advice
Quit or Avoid Smoking: Smoking is the strongest modifiable risk factor for Crohn's disease. It is associated with more aggressive disease, more frequent flares, and a greater need for surgery, and stopping is regarded as one of the most effective ways to reduce relapses. If you smoke, ask your doctor about evidence-based cessation support. Future Science OA (systematic review)
Consider a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern: Reduce ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, and excess animal fats while emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil. A randomized trial in adults with Crohn's found a Mediterranean diet helped many achieve symptomatic remission, making it a reasonable, well-tolerated pattern to discuss with your care team. Gastroenterology (randomized trial)
Support Your Gut Microbiome: A diverse gut microbiome is associated with a healthier intestinal barrier. Fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut may support microbial diversity. Discuss probiotic use with your doctor, and avoid unnecessary antibiotics, which can disrupt microbial balance. Evidence for specific probiotics in Crohn's remains limited. Mayo Clinic
Manage Stress and Sleep: Psychological stress and poor sleep are associated with worse symptoms and may interact with the gut-brain axis. Regular physical activity, adequate sleep (7-9 hours), and stress-management approaches such as mindfulness or cognitive behavioral therapy can support overall wellbeing alongside medical care. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Discuss Evaluation With a Gastroenterologist: If you have a family history of IBD or persistent digestive symptoms, talk with a clinician. Non-invasive tests such as fecal calprotectin can help flag intestinal inflammation, and clinicians typically combine several tests rather than relying on one. Earlier evaluation supports earlier treatment when needed. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
How much of this is genetic?
Genetics explains 55% of why people differ in this trait. The rest is environment, daily habits and chance.
Heritability estimate: Ashton et al. 2022, J Crohns Colitis
Background and further reading
Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involving chronic inflammation that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, from mouth to anus, though it most commonly involves the terminal ileum and colon. Unlike ulcerative colitis, which is limited to the colon's inner lining, Crohn's can penetrate the full thickness of the bowel wall and may skip segments, leaving patches of normal tissue between inflamed areas. It typically presents between ages 15 and 35, and symptoms include abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss. Across North America and Europe, incidence has largely stabilized at high levels, while it is climbing steeply in newly industrialized countries in Asia, Africa, and South America as lifestyles westernize [1].
Genetic Basis: Crohn's disease reflects an interplay between genetic susceptibility, immune dysregulation, gut microbiome composition, and environmental triggers. Twin studies estimate heritability at roughly 50-60%, higher than for ulcerative colitis [2]. Large IBD genome-wide association studies have mapped about 200 risk loci, with around two-thirds shared between Crohn's and ulcerative colitis [3], and later work added further loci implicating immune-cell integrin genes [4]. The strongest and most consistently replicated Crohn's signal is NOD2 (also called CARD15), which encodes a sensor of bacterial cell wall components [2]. Other well-established loci include IL23R, in a cytokine pathway driving intestinal inflammation, and ATG16L1, involved in autophagy (the cell's recycling process). Variants in these genes are thought to weaken the gut's handling of its resident bacteria.
Environmental Factors: Environmental exposures shape who develops Crohn's and how it behaves. Smoking is the most established modifiable factor: it raises the risk of Crohn's, is associated with more aggressive disease and a higher need for surgery, and notably has the opposite, protective association in ulcerative colitis [5]. Smoking cessation is regarded as one of the most effective steps a person with Crohn's can take to reduce relapses [5]. Diet, early-life antibiotic exposure, and geographic latitude have also been linked to disease onset, though these associations do not establish direct cause.
The published research behind your score, and the variants it draws on.
1 published score from 1 study
The crohn's disease score combines 1 polygenic score drawn from 1 published study.
Ashton JJ, et al. NOD2 in Crohn's Disease—Unfinished Business. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis (2022)
These traits are influenced by some of the same genes and variants as this one
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Content updated August 2026.
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