Birth weight, childhood body mass index, and risk of diverticular disease in adulthood

Adult overweight is associated with an increased risk of diverticular disease (DD). The study investigated associations between birthweight and childhood body mass index (BMI) and DD. For low and high BMI in childhood, the results showed a higher risk of DD before age 50. Among women with z-scores <0 at age 13, the hazard ratio (HR) was 1.16 per one-point lower z-score. For z-scores ≥0 at age 13, the HR was 1.30 per one-point higher z-score. Among men with z-scores <0 at age 13, the HR was 1.02. For z-scores ≥0 at age 13, the HR was 1.54. Z-scores ≥0 were not associated with DD after age 50. Among women only, birthweight was inversely associated with DD before age 50. The study results concluded that BMI z-scores below and above zero in childhood were associated with a higher risk of DD before age 50. In addition, we observed a lower risk of DD among women, the higher their birth weight.