Patients with Diverticular Disease Have Different Dietary Habits Compared to Control Subjects: Results from an Observational Italian Study.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Case-control / cross-sectional observational registry comparison
PubMed 37432301 · doi:10.3390/nu15092119
What was done
Dietary habits were evaluated across four groups enrolled in the Italian Diverticular Disease Registry (REMAD): healthy controls without diverticula (C, n = 119), asymptomatic diverticulosis (D, n = 344), symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD, n = 154), and patients with previous diverticulitis (PD, n = 83). Intake of daily calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) was assessed at baseline using standardized food frequency questionnaires.
What was found
No exact numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values were reported in the abstract. Directionally, daily caloric intake and both saturated and unsaturated lipids were significantly lower in all diverticular disease groups compared to controls. Total protein intake was lower in the PD group than in the D group, with differences in consumption of unprocessed red meat, white meat, and eggs across groups. Soluble and insoluble fiber intake was significantly lower in the PD group compared to SUDD, D, and C groups. Dietary vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as the ORAC index, were significantly lower across all diverticular disease subgroups compared to controls.
Why it matters
The findings highlight distinct nutritional patterns across clinical stages of diverticular disease, suggesting that dietary deficiency—particularly in fiber and antioxidant vitamins—rather than excess may track with diverticular complications.
Limits
Specific numerical data, confidence intervals, and p-values are absent from the abstract. The cross-sectional registry design precludes establishing causality or determining whether dietary differences preceded disease development or resulted from post-diagnosis dietary modifications. Self-reported food frequency questionnaires are susceptible to recall bias and measurement error. Confounding variables such as socioeconomic status, total energy expenditure, and medical comorbidities were not detailed in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Insoluble dietary fiber decreases gut transit time and decreases the risk of diverticulitis.