Diverticulosis

A high-fiber diet and increased frequency of bowel movements are associated with greater, rather than lower, prevalence of diverticulosis. Hypotheses regarding risk factors for asymptomatic diverticulosis should be reconsidered - Anne Peery MD

Diverticulosis
Diverticulosis

image by: Guts UK Charity

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Diets high in fiber won't protect against diverticulosis, study finds

Does your doctor or favorite Internet site still recommend high-fiber for diverticulosis?

For more than 40 years, scientists and physicians have thought eating a high-fiber diet lowered a person's risk of diverticulosis, a disease of the large intestine in which pouches develop in the colon wall. A new study of more than 2,000 people reveals the opposite may be true.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine , found that consuming a diet high in fiber raised, rather than lowered, the risk of developing diverticulosis. The findings also counter the commonly-held belief that constipation increases a person's risk…

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 Diets high in fiber won't protect against diverticulosis, study finds

For more than 40 years, scientists and physicians have thought eating a high-fiber diet lowered a person's risk of diverticulosis, a disease of the large intestine in which pouches develop in the colon wall. A new study of more than 2,000 people reveals the opposite may be true...

Guts UK

Guts UK is the only UK charity funding research into the digestive system from top to tail; the gut, liver and pancreas. People are suffering. People are dying. All because of a lack of knowledge about our guts. Guts UK exists to change that.

GutSense.org

A high fiber diet is broadly recommended for the prevention of diverticular disease based on unconfirmed, unproven, untested, and speculative "theories" that a low fiber diet causes this pathology. In fact, it's the complete opposite — a high fiber diet is the primary cause of diverticular disease and related complications.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

he problems that occur with diverticular disease include diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding. Diverticulitis occurs when the diverticula become inflamed, or irritated and swollen, and infected. Diverticular bleeding occurs when a small blood vessel within the wall of a diverticulum bursts.

American College of Gastroenterology

It is not known whether diverticulosis can be prevented. Constipation, a major cause of excess intra-colonic pressure and thought to be responsible for some cases of diverticulosis, should be avoided. A diet rich in fiber (bran cereals, whole wheat breads, fresh fruits, and leafy vegetables) may decrease the development of diverticulosis, improve symptoms of constipation and decrease the likelihood of complications.

Harvard Heralth

The condition is more prevalent as people age. For example, it is estimated that half of people in the United States aged 60 to 80 have diverticulosis, but only one person in 10 develops it by age 40. It is equally common in women and men.

MedicineNet

The most common symptoms associated with diverticulosis are abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. More serious complications of diverticulitis include: Collections of pus (abscess) in the pelvis where the diverticulum has ruptured, colonic obstruction, generalized infection of the abdominal cavity (bacterial peritonitis), bleeding into the colon.

NHS

Both sexes are equally affected by diverticular disease and diverticulitis, although the condition is more likely to appear at a younger age (under 50) in men than in women. Overall, symptoms of diverticulitis are most likely to occur in people over 70 years old. Diverticular disease is often described as a "Western disease" because the rates are high in European and North American countries, and low in African and Asian countries.

Patient

Symptoms of diverticular disease can be similar to those that occur with a condition called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, IBS usually affects younger adults. So, symptoms that first develop in a younger adult are more likely to be due to IBS and symptoms that first develop in older people are more likely to be due to diverticular disease. However, in some cases it is difficult to tell if symptoms are due to diverticular disease or to IBS.

UpToDate

People with diverticulosis who do not have symptoms do not require treatment. However, most clinicians recommend increasing fiber in the diet, which can help to bulk the stools and possibly prevent the development of new diverticula, diverticulitis, or diverticular bleeding. However, fiber is not proven to prevent these conditions.

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