World IBS Day Date in the current year: April 19, 2025

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder whose most common symptoms include bloating, stomach ache, and changes in the consistency of bowel movements. The condition was first described in the early 19th century, but the term “irritable bowel syndrome” was coined in the mid-19th century.

The exact cause of IBS is unknown; risk factors are thought to include allergies, stress, gastroenteritis, intestinal flora abnormalities, vitamin D deficiency, a lack of physical activity, and a family history of IBS. For a long time, IBS was thought to be a psychosomatic or mental disorder.

There are no tests that can definitely diagnose IBS; the diagnosis is one of exclusion. Various tests (stool microscopy and culture, blood tests, ultrasound, endoscopy, biopsy) can be performed to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colon cancer, giardiasis, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, bile acid malabsorption, microscopic colitis, and others.

IBS can have a significant negative impact on quality of life and its treatment focuses on symptom management. Treatment methods include the low-FODMAP diet (FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), soluble fiber supplements, physical activity, medications, probiotics, and psychological therapies.

IBS is thought to affect about 10–15% of people in the developed world and 15–45% of people worldwide, with prevalence varying by country and diagnostic criteria. Interestingly, women are about twice as likely to have IBS as men in the West, while in other regions men and women are about equally likely to have the disorder. Onset is usually before the age of 45. Despite its prevalence, IBS is still widely misunderstood and stigmatized.

World IBS Day was established in 2019 by the IBS Patient Support Group, a public education advocacy community for people suffering from IBS. The IBS Patient Support Group was founded three years earlier by Jeffrey Roberts, a long-time IBS sufferer who has been raising awareness about IBS since 1995.

The primary goal of World IBS Day is to raise awareness and combat the stigma surrounding irritable bowel syndrome. It aims to educate the general public about the symptoms of the condition, how it is properly diagnosed and the treatments available to improve quality of life.

On World IBS Day, patient organizations, associations, institutions, companies, concerned individuals and other stakeholders around the world organize seminars, webinars, social media campaigns using the hashtag #WorldIBSDay and other awareness events. In some cities and towns, landmarks are illuminated in periwinkle on or around April 19 to raise awareness of IBS.