Demographic Factors Influencing Diverticulitis: A National Database Analysis of Obesity, Race, and Gender

Aims Obesity increases the risk and severity of diverticulitis due to higher intra-abdominal pressure. Race may influence incidence rates, with Caucasians more affected. Gender differences exist, with men at higher risk but women experiencing more severe complications when affected. This research examines the impact of race, gender, and obesity on the incidence of diverticulitis by analyzing a comprehensive dataset from a national hospital database, which includes over 1.7 million hospital admissions spanning from 2019 to 2022.

Methods This study analyzed 1,748,576 hospital admissions from 2019-2022, including 10,398 adults with diverticulitis, to assess the effects of obesity, race, and sex. Using chi-squared and logistic regression analyses, it explored relationships and modeled the likelihood of diverticulitis influenced by obesity. Visualizations such as logistic regression and distribution plots highlighted the significant impact of these factors on diverticulitis risk, providing deep insights despite lacking BMI data.

Results The dataset included 913,176 females and 835,400 males, with 378,254 patients identified as obese and 10,398 diagnosed with diverticulitis. Obesity significantly impacts the likelihood of developing diverticulitis (78.71% vs 21.29%, p<0.001). Race is also a significant factor, with Whites having the highest proportion of diverticulitis cases at 28.51%, followed by Blacks at 26.99%, Asians at 23.20%, Hispanics at 14.92%, and Other Race at 6.51% (p<0.0001). Being both White and obese increases the risk significantly (87.83% vs 15.65%, p<0.01). Men have a slightly higher proportion of diverticulitis than Women (23.10% vs 21.20%, p<0.0001). Being Male and obese also increases the likelihood significantly, with 79.20% vs 15.71%, p<0.001). These findings highlight the significant roles of obesity, race, and sex in the development of diverticulitis.

Conclusions Our study confirms obesity's profound impact on diverticulitis risk, supporting the link between higher intra-abdominal pressures in obese individuals and increased disease severity. The interaction between race and obesity indicates that Caucasians, particularly when obese, have elevated risks. While men have a higher overall incidence, women tend to experience more severe complications. These findings highlight the necessity for personalized medical strategies that consider demographic factors to effectively prevent and manage diverticulitis.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors do not have any conflict of interest to disclose.

Publication History

Article published online:
27 March 2025