Prevalence of Colonic Diverticulosis among Adult patients with Obesity and metabolic syndrome conditions, a Retrospective Study at a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Background: Obesity is a common health problem that restricts people’s daily activities. Many observational studies found that diverticulosis is a common complication for obesity and the prevalence of diverticulosis is increasing. However, the correlation between obesity and diverticulosis remains controversial. Aim: The primary aim of our study was to assess the prevalence and the association between overweight or obesity and the rate of diverticulitis (as diagnosed by CT scans). Methods: Our study was based on reviewing the medical records in a single medical center in Saudi Arabia over a period of 3 years. 342 patients diagnosed with diverticulosis and confirmed by colonoscopy and CT scan were included, with those ages above 18 years old receiving a health examination, measurement of percentage of body fat, blood test and colonoscopy at King Abdulaziz University. Results: Women with body mass index (BMI 30) had a greater risk of developing diverticulosis (PR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.05–2.06) when compared to women with normal BMI. By gender, in patients less than fifty-one, occurrence of colonic diverticulosis was less in female patients compared to males (29% vs 45%, P=.06). However, in older ages there wasn’t clear difference among male and female patients in the prevalence of diverticulosis. Conclusion: 342 patients who underwent screening colonoscopies for diverticulosis, were included in our analysis. We found that the risk of colonic diverticulosis has an obvious correlation to obesity especially in women with BMI 30. When comparing by age, colonic diverticulosis was less predominant in premenopausal-age women compared with similar-age men. These findings may be due to female sex hormones that enhance diverticulosis development. Key words: colonic diverticulosis, obesity, metabolic syndrome, Saudi Arabia