Certain lifestyle habits are linked to a lower risk of diverticulitis, according to a new study. Researchers specifically identified five factors—from eating more fiber to getting more exercise—that may help offset a genetic predisposition to the digestive condition.
“While genetics have been theorized as a risk factor for diverticulitis, lifestyle risk factors contribute to diverticulitis risk regardless of genetic predisposition,” said Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan who wasn’t involved with the research.
The study “provides reinforcement of previously identified potential lifestyle risk factors for diverticulitis,” she told Health.
Here’s what you need to know about diverticulitis, the identified risk factors, and how to cut your chances of developing this potentially painful condition.
Diverticulitis occurs when pouches called diverticula form in the colon and become inflamed. The condition can cause symptoms like:
- Stomach pain
- Fever
- Low appetite
- Nausea
- Changes in bowel habits
For about 80% of people with diverticulitis, the condition is considered “uncomplicated,” meaning it doesn’t cause more concerning symptoms and typically resolves with treatment. But some people with diverticulitis can experience complications, like having stool leak into the stomach, which can result in sepsis.
About 200,000 people are hospitalized in the U.S. each year due to diverticulitis, making it one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions leading to hospital admissions and emergency department visits, the study authors noted. While the disease primarily affects older adults, rates among younger people are on the rise.
Scientists have long believed that both genetics and lifestyle factors contribute to diverticulitis risk, but how much healthy habits can mitigate a genetic predisposition has been unclear.
To explore that, researchers analyzed decades of data from nearly 180,000 people across three large research programs involving medical professionals.
They developed scoring systems that considered genetic susceptibility and five major lifestyle risk factors previously linked to diverticulitis:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Physical inactivity
- A low-fiber diet
- High consumption of red or processed meat
The analysis, published online July 1 in the journal Gut, confirmed that these lifestyle factors were strongly associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis, regardless of a person’s genetic risk.
People who ate more red meat or currently smoked had roughly a 10% elevated risk, former smokers had about a 17% higher risk, and having a BMI of at least 25 upped the chances by about a third.
On the flip side, higher fiber intake and physical activity levels were linked with a 14% and 16% lower risk, respectively.
Overall, participants without any risk factors were 50% less likely to get a diagnosis than those with all of them.
“We also validated our findings in a separate cohort, the Southern Community Cohort Study, where two-thirds participants were non-Hispanic Black,” Wenjie Ma, MD, ScD, lead author and assistant professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, told Health.
While you can’t change your genes, understanding your genetic predisposition to diverticulitis can help you better manage and assess your risk.
Lifestyle factors may influence diverticulitis risk by promoting inflammation and disrupting metabolic health and the gut microbiome, Ma explained.
“For example, obesity, especially abdominal fat, is well linked to higher levels of systemic inflammation and changes in gut microbiota, both of which can contribute to the development of diverticulitis,” she said.
Consuming enough fiber can also increase the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
That’s why eating fiber-rich foods, such as raspberries and lentils, is key to lowering your risk of diverticulitis, experts said. Avoiding smoking and limiting red and processed meat are also recommended, along with getting regular exercise: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises adults to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio per week, plus strength training on two or more days.
While taking certain medications, like steroids, anti-inflammatory medications, hormonal therapy, and opiates, may heighten your risk of diverticulitis, experts advise talking to your doctor before you stop taking any prescribed medications.
