Ann Intern Med

Healthy diets linked to reduced diverticulitis risk in women

May 8, 2025

Study details: This prospective cohort study examined the relationship between dietary patterns and risk of incident diverticulitis in women aged 35 to 74 years. Data were collected from 29,916 participants in the U.S. and Puerto Rico who completed food frequency questionnaires and had no prior history of inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, or diverticulitis.

Results: Over 415,103 person-years of follow-up, 1,531 cases of incident diverticulitis were identified. No significant association was found between the intake of peanuts, nuts, seeds (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-1.25) or fresh fruits with edible seeds (aHR, 1.06; CI, 0.90-1.24) and diverticulitis risk. However, women in the highest quartile of healthy diets, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Healthy Eating Index, Alternative Healthy Eating Index, and Alternative Mediterranean diet, showed a reduced risk for incident diverticulitis compared with those in the lowest quartile (aHRs ranging from 0.77 to 0.91).

Clinical impact: Promoting healthy dietary patterns may reduce the risk of diverticulitis in women, while the consumption of nuts and seeds can be safely included in their diet without increasing the risk. This challenges the traditional dietary advice given to patients with diverticulitis.

Source:

Barlowe T, et al. (2025, May 6). Ann Intern Med. Diet and Risk for Incident Diverticulitis in Women: A Prospective Cohort Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40324196/