One-third of the U.S. population will develop diverticulosis by the age of 60 years and two-thirds will do so by the age of 85 years, the researchers said. Historically, physicians have advised individuals with diverticular disease to avoid eating nuts, corn, seeds and popcorn, even though there is little evidence to support this recommendation.

Dr. Lisa L. Strate, of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, and colleagues examined the association between nut, corn and popcorn consumption and diverticular disease in the study that included 47,228 men ages 40 to 75 years who at baseline were free of diverticulosis or its complications, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found men with the highest intake of nuts -- at least twice per week -- had a 20-percent lower risk of diverticulitis compared with men with the lowest intake -- less than once per month. Men with the highest intake of popcorn had a 28-percent lower risk of diverticulitis compared with men with the lowest intake.