Red meat has been linked to health problems since the 1950s, when American physiologist Ancel Keys put forth the notion that saturated fat causes heart disease. A couple of decades later, other scientists began linking red meat to certain types of cancer, primarily colorectal. It is now widely accepted that excessive red meat consumption can also lead to an increased risk of diabetes and stroke.
Now – as if meat lovers need more bad news – a new study published in the journal Gut concludes there is an association between red meat and diverticulitis, a relatively common condition in which bulging sacs (diverticula) appear in the lining of the intestine and become inflamed or infected.
Alejandro Perez, D.O., who is board-certified in gastroenterology and practices as part of the Sebastian River Medical Group, is familiar with the study and agrees with its conclusion. He says, “Based on this new information, it seems beneficial to consume red meat in moderation as a way to help reduce your lifetime risk of developing diverticulitis.”
The research team, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, set out to study dietary influences on diverticulitis. Their study participants were men who were part of “The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study” (HPFS), which began in 1986 to evaluate the link between nutritional factors and the incidence of serious illnesses.
The 46,500 men in the study were periodically asked, over a 26-year period, how often they ate standard-sized portions of red meat. (The responses were along a 9-point scale, ranging from “never” to the hard-to-believe “more than six times a day.”) Men who ate six or more servings of red meat over the course of a week were 58 percent more likely to develop diverticulitis than those who ate the least amount, which the study defined as an average of 1.2 servings per week.
And it wasn’t just the heaviest meat eaters who were more prone to diverticulitis: Each daily serving was associated with an increased risk of 18 percent. One theory is that red meat consumption alters the types of bacteria in the gut, affecting the body’s immune responses. Dr. Perez says, “It seems plausible that this alteration in bacteria can affect the immune response, but we need more research to establish a clear cause and effect.”
Diverticulitis causes persistent pain, usually felt in the lower left side of the abdomen. It can also cause nausea and vomiting, fever, abdominal tenderness and constipation. According to the Mayo Clinic, the risk factors for diverticulitis include culprits we see on many such cautionary lists:
Obesity. Being seriously overweight increases the odds of developing diverticulitis, and “morbid obesity” (being 100 or more pounds overweight or having a Body Mass Index of 40 or higher) can increase the risk of needing more highly invasive treatment approaches.
Smoking. People who smoke cigarettes are more likely than nonsmokers to experience diverticulitis.
Lack of exercise. Vigorous exercise appears to lower the risk of diverticulitis.
Diet high in animal fat and low in fiber. Dr. Perez says, “Low dietary fiber intake is well-established in the medical literature as a risk factor for constipation, which in my opinion is the greatest risk factor for diverticulitis.” His general recommendation is to institute a high-fiber diet, which may require fiber supplements.
There are certain medications associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis, including steroids, opiates and NSAIDs – nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve).
One uncontrollable risk factor is age. Dr. Perez says, “Advancing age is risk factor for diverticulitis because the older we get, the higher the likelihood that we have diverticula in our GI tract, particularly in our colon.” About a third of people age 45 to 80 will, at one point during that span of years, develop diverticula (the incidence rises to about to about two-thirds in people older than 80). In most cases, the diverticula – sacs – cause no problems, and their presence goes undetected. But about 20 percent will go on to develop diverticulitis.
Dr. Perez says that the gold standard treatment for an episode of acute diverticulitis is typically a course of oral antibiotics. In the majority of cases, hospitalization can be avoided. However, Dr. Perez warns that more complicated episodes, such as those that lead to significant bowel perforation or abscess formation, can require IV antibiotics and even surgical intervention.
One final word about Ancel Keys – the scientist who 60 years ago warned about the negative health effects of saturated fat. While we can’t know for sure, it’s probably a safe bet that he heeded his own advice. He lived to be 100 – at a time when the average life expectancy for an American man who survived his childhood was about 62.
The gastroenterology practice of Sebastian River Medical Group is located at 920 37th Place, Suite 105, in Vero Beach. Their phone number is 772-567- 4825.
