What culture has the highest incidence of lactose intolerance?

Category: medical health digestive disorders
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Lactose intolerance in adulthood is most prevalent in people of East Asian descent, with 70 to 100 percent of people affected in these communities. Lactose intolerance is also very common in people of West African, Arab, Jewish, Greek, and Italian descent.



Similarly, it is asked, what ethnicities are more likely to be lactose intolerant?

African American and Asian ethnicities see a 75% - 95% lactose intolerance rate, while northern Europeans have a lower rate at 18% - 26% lactose intolerance.

Likewise, what percentage of Caucasians are lactose intolerant? Lactose intolerance is common, affecting about 95 percent of Asian Americans, 74 percent of Native Americans, 70 percent of African Americans, 53 percent of Mexican Americans, and 15 percent of Caucasians.

Just so, what country has the most lactose intolerance?

While 65% or more of the total human population are lactose intolerant, in some human populations lactase activity commonly persists into adulthood. Lactose tolerance is exceptionally widespread in Northern European countries such as Sweden and Finland, with tolerance levels of 74% and 82%, respectively.

In which ethnic group is lactose intolerance most prevalent quizlet?

Primary lactose intolerance has a high incidence among certain ethnic groups, including Blacks, Asians, Native Americans, those of Mediterranean descent, and some Ashkenazi Jews. Males and females are equally affected; the disorder commonly is manifested between the ages of 20 and 40 years.

30 Related Question Answers Found

How do I tell if I am lactose intolerant?

If you have lactose intolerance, your symptoms may include:
  1. Bloating.
  2. Pain or cramps in the lower belly.
  3. Gurgling or rumbling sounds in the lower belly.
  4. Gas.
  5. Loose stools or diarrhea. Sometimes the stools are foamy.
  6. Throwing up.

What happens if you're lactose intolerant and you keep eating dairy?

People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk. As a result, they have diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products. The condition, which is also called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.

Does almond milk give you gas?

It is dairy-free
Undigested lactose passes down to the colon where it is fermented by the resident bacteria, leading to excessive gas, bloating, diarrhea and associated discomfort. Being dairy free, almond milk contains no lactose at all, making it a suitable milk replacement for people with lactose intolerance.

Why is milk bad for you?

Broken bones
Despite the hype, cow's milk actually robs our bones of calcium. In order to neutralize and flush out the acids, our bodies have to use the calcium that the milk contains—as well as some from our own stores. So every glass of milk we drink leaches calcium from our bones.

Who is more prone to lactose intolerance?


People of Asian, African, Native American, and Hispanic backgrounds are more likely to develop lactose intolerance at a young age. Other problems with the digestive tract. People who have inflammation of their upper small intestine, such as celiac disease or Crohn's disease, have a reduced level of the lactase enzyme.

What age group is most affected by lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is very common in adults. It is rarely dangerous. About 30 million American adults have some degree of lactose intolerance by age 20. In white people, lactose intolerance often develops in children older than age 5.

How do you build lactose tolerance?

Eat dairy foods as part of a meal, such as a cup of milk over cereal with fruit, or a glass of milk with dinner. Eat yogurts, which are well tolerated because they contain a lactase that helps the body digest lactose in the intestine. If necessary, use over-the-counter digestive aids.

What four ethnic groups are at risk for lactose intolerance?

Ethnicity and lactose intolerance
It is least prevalent in European Americans, and most common in African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans.

Do eggs have lactose?

SUMMARY Since eggs are not a dairy product, they don't contain lactose. Therefore, those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk proteins can eat eggs.

Why do Europeans drink milk?


Several thousand years later, a genetic mutation spread through Europe that gave people the ability to produce lactase — and drink milk — throughout their lives. That adaptation opened up a rich new source of nutrition that could have sustained communities when harvests failed.

Does yogurt have lactose?

Lactose in Greek yogurt
In comparison to a cup of milk which contains 12 grams of lactose, Greek yogurt only contains 4 grams of lactose per 6-ounce container. This officially qualifies Greek yogurt as a lower lactose food. Besides that, yogurt is a product of the acidic fermentation of milk.

Can Chinese drink milk?

There has not been dairy in the mainstream Chinese diet for centuries — no butter, no milk, no cheese, nothing. Ninety percent of the population is said to be lactose intolerant.

What is the difference between lactose tolerance and lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is when a person has symptoms due to a decreased ability to digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. Lactose intolerance is due to the lack of the enzyme lactase in the small intestines to break lactose down into glucose and galactose.

Which milk has most lactose?

Calcium and lactose content in common milk products9
Milk product Calcium content (mg) Lactose content (g)
Whole milk, 1 cup 291 13.02
Partly skimmed milk, 2% M.F., 1 cup 302 12.92
Partly skimmed milk, 1% M.F., 1 cup 322 13.41
Skim milk, 1 cup 316 13.18

How many Americans are lactose intolerant?


According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, some 30 million to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, including up to 75 percent of African Americans and American Indians and 90 percent of Asian Americans.

What countries do not drink milk?

China, despite a growing interest in milk, is again near the very bottom, just above North Korea and Indonesia, where people basically don't drink milk.

How do you stop lactose intolerance pain?

There's currently no way to boost your body's production of lactase, but you can usually avoid the discomfort of lactose intolerance by:
  1. Avoiding large servings of milk and other dairy products.
  2. Including small servings of dairy products in your regular meals.
  3. Eating and drinking lactose-reduced ice cream and milk.