Who is affected by diverticulitis
Diverticulitis tends to occur in people who eat low-fiber diets.
It is difficult 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. Generally, diverticulosis occurs in fewer than 10% of people under age 40. Between 50% and 66% of people over age 80 have the condition.1
About 20% of the people who have been diagnosed with diverticulosis develop diverticulitis, which occurs when the pouches along the large intestine become inflamed or infected. Men and women are affected almost equally.
Citations
| Author | Kathe Gallagher, MSW |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology |
| Last Updated | August 31, 2006 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
August 31, 2006
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