Q. Do I need to avoid nuts, popcorn and corn if I have diverticulosis?

A. People with the digestive disorder diverticulosis often are told to avoid eating nuts, popcorn, seeds and corn to reduce the risk of complications. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association calls this advice into question.

Diverticulosis occurs when small, pea-sized pouches called diverticula develop in the lining of the colon. Often there are no symptoms. One-third of Americans will develop diverticulosis by age 60 and by 85, two-thirds have the condition. The exact cause is unknown; however, many experts blame a low-fiber diet.

If the pouches become infected, the name changes from diverticulosis to diverticulitis. Symptoms include intense abdominal pain and sometimes nausea, vomiting, and bleeding.

For decades, many doctors advised patients with diverticulosis to restrict nuts, corn, popcorn and foods with seeds, such as tomatoes. The thought was that the indigestible part of these foods could become trapped in the pouches, leading to the infections and bleeding associated with diverticulitis. There were no studies proving this to actually be true; it just seemed sensible.

The current study was undertaken to determine if eating nuts, corn or popcorn is associated with diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding. Researchers looked at data from 47,228 men enrolled in an ongoing Harvard School of Public Health study. For eight years, participants completed medical questionnaires every two years and dietary questionnaires every four years.

None of the participants had known diverticular disease at the start of the study. By the end of the study, 801 men were diagnosed with diverticulitis and 383 had diverticular bleeding.

Results showed that those who frequently ate popcorn, corn or nuts did not have an increased risk of developing diverticulitis or diverticular bleeding compared to men who rarely ate these foods.

In fact, eating nuts at least twice a week was associated with a 20 percent reduced risk of diverticulitis, while eating popcorn twice a week or more was linked to a 28 percent lower risk. No association was found for corn.

The authors concluded that current diet recommendations for patients with diverticular disease should be reconsidered. Even so, this is only one study and the results may not apply to every individual. Some folks with diverticular disease experience symptoms after eating these foods and would still be better off avoiding them.

Amy Tousman is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with Nutrition Unlimited in Kailua. Hawai'i experts in traditional medicine, naturopathic medicine and diet take turns writing the Prescriptions column. Send your questions to: Prescriptions, Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com; or fax 535-8170. This column is not intended to provide medical advice.