title: A prospective study of diet and the risk of symptomatic diverticular disease in men.
abstract: To examine the association between dietary fiber, sources of fiber, other nutrients, and the diagnosis of symptomatic diverticular disease, we analyzed data from a prospective cohort of 47,888 US men. During 4 y of follow-up we documented 385 new cases of symptomatic diverticular disease. Total dietary fiber intake was inversely associated with the risk of diverticular disease after adjustment for age, energy-adjusted total fat intake, and physical activity [relative risk (RR) 0.58; 95% CI 0.41, 0.83; P for trend = 0.01 for men in the highest as compared with the lowest quintile of dietary fiber]. This inverse association was primarily due to fruit and vegetable fiber. For men on a high-total-fat, low-fiber diet, the RR was 2.35 (95% CI 1.38, 3.98) compared with those on a low-total-fat, high-fiber diet, and for men on a high-red-meat, low-fiber diet the RR was 3.32 (95% CI 1.46, 7.53) compared with those on a low-red-meat, high-fiber diet. These prospective data support the hypothesis that a diet low in total dietary fiber increases the incidence of symptomatic diverticular disease. They also provide evidence that the combination of high intake of total fat or red meat and a diet low in total dietary fiber particularly augments the risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Aldoori
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Giovannucci
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Rimm
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wing
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Trichopoulos
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Willett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber