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The etiology of diverticulosis of the colon is poorly understood. Many, but not all, studies suggest that low fiber intake and obesity increase the risk. The large Health Professional Follow-up Study of almost 50,000 subjects found a lower risk to be associated with increased physical exercise and the intake of soluble fiber, and no increase from alcohol consumption.
This paper tests the cross-sectional association of alcohol consumption with diverticulosis among 746 asymptomatic consecutive subjects undergoing screening colonoscopies in Lebanon. In a pre-screening questionnaire, subjects reported the intake of several dietary constituents, as well as alcohol, with about one-half of subjects being lifetime abstainers. Most of the “drinkers” stated that they consumed alcohol occasionally or < 1 drink/day; only about 10% reported one or more drinks/day. No data on type of beverage or pattern of drinking were available. From their cross-sectional analyses, the authors conclude that alcohol consumption raises the risk of diverticulosis. > > > > Read More
