Lionhealth Società Benefit has provided an unrestricted grant to fund the ECM course “PONTE Project: From Theory to Practice—A Shared Model for Nutritional Management in IBD,” developed through a collaboration between IG-IBD, SINPE, and SINuC, with the goal of implementing a structured model of nutritional care in hospitals that brings together gastroenterologists, dietitians, nutritionists, and hospital pharmacists around the patient.
The rationale
The physiological changes associated with IBD and the state of chronic inflammation lead to malnutrition in 13–27% of IBD patients, with an estimated 50,000–60,000 malnourished patients in Italy. This condition negatively impacts patients’ quality of life and results in increased hospitalizations and costs for the National Health Service.
Despite this, malnutrition in IBD remains largely underdiagnosed and undertreated. The Italian standards of care for IBD units, published by IG-IBD in April 2025, clearly outline the key elements that every center should ensure: a healthcare professional trained in nutrition, a structured referral pathway for patients, and a systematic assessment of nutritional status.
The PONTE Project was created to address this gap between recommended standards and clinical practice by proposing a standardized model that bridges the gap between the various healthcare professionals involved in the management of patients with IBD.
📅 Upcoming events
SAVE THE DATE – VERONA
📅 June 4, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
📍 VERONA –Villa Quaranta Tommasi – Ospedaletto di Pescantina
ECM: 8 continuing education credits for General Surgery, Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Biology, Food Science, and Dietitians (Project No. 477-486914).
Download the program and sign up
SAVE THE DATE – MILAN
📅 June 5, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
📍 MILAN – Milano Meeting Experience (MME42), 42 Via E. de Amicis
ECM: 8 continuing education credits for General Surgery, Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Biology, Food Science, and Dietitians (Project No. 477 – 486936).
Download the program and sign up
Sponsored by: SINPE – Italian Society of Nutrition and Metabolism
Organizing Secretariat: REALTIME MEETING
Background and References
What is the PONTE Project? The PONTE Project is an educational initiative resulting from a collaboration between IG-IBD, SINPE, and SINuC, with the goal of bridging the gap between the recommended standards for nutritional management in IBD and daily clinical practice. The project proposes a standardized model for nutritional care that brings together the various professionals involved—gastroenterologists, dietitians, nutritionists, and hospital pharmacists—around the patient.
Who is the ECM course intended for? The course is intended for medical specialists in General Surgery, Gastroenterology, and Internal Medicine, as well as biologists, nutritionists, and dietitians. Upon completion, participants will receive 8 ECM credits.
Why is nutrition central to the management of IBD? IBD (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) is associated with a high risk of protein-energy malnutrition, estimated to affect between 13% and 27% of patients, with approximately 50,000 to 60,000 people affected in Italy. Malnutrition in this context remains largely underdiagnosed and negatively impacts both patients’ quality of life and costs to the National Health Service.
What is Lionhealth’s role in the PONTE Project? Lionhealth Società Benefit funded the training sessions with an unrestricted grant to support an independent initiative promoted by the relevant scientific societies.
