Diverticular disease: three studies. Part I--Relation to other disorders and fibre intake.

The fibre intake of 40 patients with diverticular disease was compared with that of 80 age- and sex-matched controls. The daily crude-fibre intake of the patients was significantly lower than that of the controls, and the incidence of haemorrhoids, varicose veins, hiatus hernia, gall stones, and abdominal hernias was significantly higher than in the control group. These findings suggest that a fibre-depleted diet may be a causative factor in diverticular disease and several other conditions.