Obesity and complicated diverticular disease of the colon

BackgroundThe incidence of diverticular disease of the colon has been rising in recent years, and the associated factors are: low ingestion of fibre, age, lack of physical activity, and obesity.Material and methodsA retrospective, descriptive, observational study was conducted on patients with the diagnosis of complicated diverticular disease requiring surgical or interventional treatment, for a period of 12 years.ResultsA total of 114 patients (72 males, and 42 females), age range 28–91 years. More than three-quarters (88 patients; 77.19%) had a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 40kg/m2, and 26 patients (22.8%) had a BMI between 20 and 25kg/m2. Among the patients with BMI less than 25kg/m2, 12 patients had Hinchey 1 (46%), 8 Hinchey 2 (30.7%), 4 Hinchey 3 (15.4%), and two Hinchey 4 (7.7%). Of the patients with BMI greater than 25kg/m2, 19 patients had Hinchey 1 (21.6%), 24 Hinchey 2 (27.3%), 27 Hinchey 3 (30.7%), and 18 Hinchey 4 (20.45%). A statistically significant difference (p<0.001) was found between groups using Mann–Whitney U test. The BMI greater than 25kg/m2 as risk factor for complicated diverticular disease showed odds ratio of 3.4884 (95% confidence interval 1.27–9.55) with Z value of 2.44 (p=0.014).ConclusionsIn this study, obesity was associated with an increased incidence and severity of complicated diverticular disease