Prevent Diverticulosis with Fiber and Exercise

Q:  My sister and mother both have severe diverticulosis and have had to have parts of their colon removed.

I'm 32 and don't want to have the same problems they are having.

Is diverticulosis hereditary and is there a way to prevent it?

A:  Diverticulosis refers to a condition where small pockets of weakness (called diverticuli) are formed in the colon, usually the left part of the colon. They can be complicated by infection, inflammation, or bleeding, which is usually an indication to have the affected part of the colon removed.

Most patients are unaware that they have diverticulosis until they have symptoms or when the condition is found incidentally on a CT scan or during a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening.

Diverticulosis is a very common medical problem, mostly related to our Western diet. It's estimated that a third of the people over age 50 in the United States have it. Some people have just a few diverticuli, while others may have 20 or more.

Most of the time, diverticulosis can be managed through diet. Everyone should eat a high-fiber diet, and there is some thought that people with diverticulosis should avoid foods with small seeds that can become stuck in the diverticuli and cause infection (although there is some controversy over whether or not avoiding seeds really makes a difference).

Even though it seems diverticulosis is mostly caused by diet, a genetic/inheritable cause cannot be ruled out. People who do not exercise regularly and eat a low-fiber diet seem to be at most risk for diverticulosis. This does not explain the whole picture, however, as I have had patients who eat well and exercise regularly who do have diverticuli.

Given your family history, I would be very cognizant of your diet, again making sure that you are eating a high-fiber diet and that you are getting the recommended amount of daily exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.

Deidre L. Faust, MD, is a Staff Physician (Internal Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin's Plank Road Clinic. Her column appears in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.