This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Red meat linked to diverticulitis risk
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Researchers linked red meat consumption – especially when unprocessed – with a heightened risk for diverticulitis in an observational study.
“In this large prospective cohort of men, total red meat intake, especially consumption of unprocessed red meat, was non-linearly associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis,” Andrew T. Chan, MD, MPH, of the division of gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues wrote. “Substitution of one serving of unprocessed red meat per day with poultry or fish was associated with a 20% lower risk of diverticulitis.”
Andrew T. Chan
Updating a previous study that suggested a link between red meat consumption and diverticular disease, Chan and colleagues prospectively evaluated the associations between incident diverticulitis and consumption of red meat (both processed and unprocessed), poultry and fish among 46,461 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study between 1986 and 2012.
Overall, 764 cases of diverticulitis occurred throughout 651,970 person-years of follow-up.
The men who consumed high vs. low amounts of red meat were more likely to smoke and use NSAIDs and acetaminophen, were less likely to exercise vigorously, consumed higher levels of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and haem iron, and consumed lower levels of fiber. Conversely, men who consumed high vs. low levels of fish or poultry were more likely to exercise vigorously and use aspirin, less likely to smoke, and consumed higher levels of haem iron.
After adjusting for age, time, BMI, total energy intake, physical activity, smoking, fiber intake and medication use, multivariable analysis comparing the highest vs. lowest quintiles of meat consumption showed an association between total red meat consumption and increased risk for diverticulitis (RR = 1.58; 95% CI, 1.19-2.11), which was non-linear.
“Even one serving per week appeared to increase risk, with risk plateauing after six servings per week,” the researchers wrote.
The data suggest that consumption of unprocessed red meat was the primary driver of the observed association between total red meat intake and risk for diverticulitis, with a stronger association (RR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.12-2.03) than that of processed red meat (RR = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.78-1.35).
The researchers found no association between diverticulitis and high consumption of poultry or fish, but found a decreased risk for diverticulitis was linked to substituting poultry or fish for one serving of unprocessed red meat per day (RR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99).
These associations were independent of fiber consumption, and did not appear influenced by age or BMI. However, as this is an observational study, conclusions cannot be drawn about causality, the researchers noted.
“Our findings may provide practical dietary guidance for patients at risk of diverticulitis, a common disease of huge economic and clinical burden,” the researchers concluded. “The mechanisms underlying the observed associations require further investigation.”
While these mechanisms are not entirely understood, higher red meat consumption has been associated with increased inflammatory biomarkers like C-reactive protein and ferritin and chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, they added. The gut microbiome may also play a role, and could be influenced by the larger portions and higher cooking temperatures associated with unprocessed red meat, which may explain the association observed in this study. – by Adam Leitenberger
Disclosures: Chan reports he previously served as a consultant for Bayer Healthcare, Aralaz Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer for work unrelated to the topic of this study.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts