Contrary to what doctors have believed for decades, a high-fiber diet may not stave off one intestinal disease. That's the conclusion of a study from UNC-Chapel Hill. It found no correlation between a lack of fiber and a higher incidence of diverticulosis. Anne Peery is the study's lead researcher.
Anne Peery: It's too early to tell patients what to do differently, but these results are really exciting for researchers. It gives us the opportunity to look at a disease process in new ways and to really rethink why people develop asymptomatic diverticulosis.
Peery says researchers at UNC are now looking into what causes the pouches on the colon wall that are the hallmark of diverticulosis. The disease affects about a third of Americans over 60, and can cause serious illness.