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Observational Study
. 2023 Apr 28;15(9):2119.
doi: 10.3390/nu15092119.

Patients with Diverticular Disease Have Different Dietary Habits Compared to Control Subjects: Results from an Observational Italian Study

Barbara Polese  1 , Marilia Carabotti  2 , Sara Rurgo  1 , Camilla Ritieni  2 , Giovanni Sarnelli  1 , Giovanni Barbara  3 , Fabio Pace  4 , Rosario Cuomo  5 , Bruno Annibale  2 ; Remad Group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Observational Study

Patients with Diverticular Disease Have Different Dietary Habits Compared to Control Subjects: Results from an Observational Italian Study

Barbara Polese et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

The role of dietary habits as risk factor for the development of diverticular complications has strongly emerged in the last years. We aimed to evaluate possible differences in dietary habits between patients with diverticular disease (DD) and matched controls without diverticula. Dietary habits were obtained from standardized food frequency questionnaires collected at entry to the Diverticular Disease Registry (REMAD). We compared controls (C) (n = 119) with asymptomatic diverticulosis (D) (n = 344), symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) (n = 154) and previous diverticulitis (PD) (n = 83) patients, in terms of daily calories, macro and micronutrients and dietary vitamins. Daily kcal intake and lipids, both saturated and unsaturated, were significantly lower in patients with DD than C. Total protein consumption was lower in PD than D, with differing consumption of unprocessed red meat, white meat and eggs between groups. Consumption of fibre, both soluble and insoluble, was lower in patients with PD compared to patients with SUDD, D and C, whereas dietary vitamins A, C, D and E and Oxygen Radical Adsorbance Capacity index were lower in all DD groups compared to C. This observational study showed that DD patients have different dietary habits, mainly in terms of caloric, fat, fibre and vitamin intake, compared to control subjects.

Keywords: colonic; diet surveys; dietary fats; dietary fibre; dietary habits; dietary proteins; diverticulitis; diverticulosis; vitamins.

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Conflict of interest statement

R. Cuomo has served as a speaker and consultant for Alfasigma/Alfa Wassermann, Allergan, Malesci, Almirall, Fresystem, Shire, Sofar, Biocure, Co.GE.DI and Valeas, and has received research funding from Alfasigma/Alfa Wassermann, Fresystem, Sofar and CO.GE.DI. F. Pace has served as a speaker for Allergan, Malesci, Menarini and Alfasigma/Alfa Wassermann. G. Barbara has served as a speaker and consultant for Alfasigma/Alfa Wassermann, Allergan, CaDiGroup, Danone, Ironwood, Italchimici, Malesci, Menarini, Noos, Shire, Synergy, Sofar, Yakult and Zespri, and has received research funding from Alfasigma/Alfa Wassermann, Cadigroup, Falk Pharma, IMA, Italchimici, Lorenzatto, Parmalat Sofar, Yakult and Zespri. B. Annibale has served as a speaker and consultant for Alfasigma. B. Polese, M. Carabotti, S. Rurgo, C. Ritieni, G. Sarnelli have nothing to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Average daily caloric intake in all groups. C, Controls; D, Diverticulosis; SUDD, Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease; PD, Previous Diverticulitis. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01 (n = 705).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Average daily intake of lipids (a), Saturated Fatty Acids (b), Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (c) and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (d) in all groups. C, Controls; D, Diverticulosis; SUDD, Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease; PD, Previous Diverticulitis. MUFA, Monounsaturated Fatty Acids; PUFA, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01 (n = 705).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Average daily intake of total carbohydrates (a) and oligosaccharides (b) in all groups. C, Controls; D, Diverticulosis; SUDD, Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease; PD, Previous Diverticulitis. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01 (n = 705).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Average daily protein intake in all groups. C, Controls; D, Diverticulosis; SUDD, Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease; PD, Previous Diverticulitis. * p < 0.05 (n = 705).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Average daily intake of fibre (a), Soluble Fibre (b) and Insoluble Fibre (c) in all groups. C, Controls; D, Diverticulosis; SUDD, Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease; PD, Previous Diverticulitis. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01 (n = 705).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Average daily intake of Vit A (a), Vit C (b), Vit D (c) and Vit E (d) in all groups. C, Controls; D, Diverticulosis; SUDD, Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease; PD, Previous Diverticulitis. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01 (n = 705).
Figure 7
Figure 7
ORAC index in all groups. C, Controls; D, Diverticulosis; SUDD, Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease; PD, Previous Diverticulitis. ** p < 0.01 (n = 705).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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