Who Is Affected by Diverticulitis

It is hard to determine the exact incidence of diverticulosis (the formation of pouches in the wall of the large intestine), because most people who have colon pouches do not have symptoms. In general, diverticulosis becomes more likely with age.

About 20 out of 100 people who have been diagnosed with diverticulosis develop diverticulitis. This occurs when the pouches along the large intestine become inflamed or infected. Men and women are affected almost equally.¹

References

Citations

1. Davis BR, Matthews JB (2006). Diverticular disease of the colon. In M Wolfe et al., eds., Therapy of Digestive Disorders, 2nd ed., pp. 855–859. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

Credits

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
Last Revised	July 19, 2012