A group of researchers from Waseda University, Kyushu University, and Nagasaki University investigated the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in three East Asian countries (Japan, China, and South Korea).
As a result, the prevalence rate was 13% overall, 15% in Japan, 6% in China, and 16% in South Korea.The global prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome is reported to be approximately 9%.We found that the overall prevalence was slightly higher than the global prevalence in three East Asian countries (Japan, China, and South Korea), and that the prevalence was lower in China than in Japan and South Korea.
Irritable bowel syndrome is thought to develop against the backdrop of abnormalities in the interaction of brain, gut, and intestinal bacteria, and causes complex symptoms accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and psychological abnormalities. Greatly reduces life (QOL).It has been clarified that the prevalence varies depending on the area of residence, and many studies to date have shown that young people and women are at particularly high risk.
On the other hand, the results of this study differed from previous studies in that the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in East Asia was high among middle-aged males.In the East Asian cultural sphere, it is possible that diverse food cultures and differences in behavior patterns cause differences in prevalence.
Among the irritable bowel syndrome subtypes, the alternating type (repeated diarrhea and constipation type) was found to have a high proportion in Japan, China, and South Korea. The second most common subtype was diarrhea type in Japan, constipation type in China, and unclassifiable type (diarrhea type, constipation type, alternating type) in South Korea.
The evidence presented by this study may affect the selection of subjects for future epidemiological studies, and may serve as a reference for daily treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.In addition, in addition to factors such as stress, illness, behavior, and diet, genetic mutations, infections, intestinal flora, immune activity, etc. should be considered in order to elucidate the factors that cause regional heterogeneity in the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome. Further research is also needed on the impact of biological factors such as transmutation on prevalence.
Paper information:[Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility] Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Japan, China, and South Korea: An International Cross-sectional Study
