Which diet modification should the nurse suggest to a client who was recently diagnosed with diverticulitis?
Explanation & Rationale
Choice A reason: Decreasing dietary fat intake can be beneficial for overall health, but it is not specifically related to managing diverticulitis. Dietary fat does not directly influence the inflammation of diverticula.Choice B reason: Increasing fluids and dietary fibber is important for preventing diverticulosis, which is the presence of diverticula in the colon. However, during an acute episode of diverticulitis, high fibber can exacerbate symptoms. Therefore, this recommendation is not appropriate during active inflammation.Choice C reason: Ingesting frequent small meals can aid in digestion and prevent large meals from causing discomfort, but it does not directly address the dietary needs during diverticulitis.Choice D reason: Reducing roughage in the diet is crucial during an acute episode of diverticulitis. High-fibber foods and roughage can irritate the inflamed diverticula and worsen symptoms. A low-fibber diet is often recommended until the inflammation subsides, after which a gradual return to a high-fibber diet can be beneficial to prevent future episodes.