IBS Statistics, Gender, Race, and What Else?

IBS statistics are more difficult to find simply because the symptoms of IBS are so varied that it makes it hard to determine precisely who has it compared to other conditions which cause similar symptoms, such as lactose intolerance or irritable colon. Many people also do not report their symptoms officially, meaning that statistics are likely even lower than those reported by those who have had it diagnosed by a doctor.

It affects between 10-15% of adults in North America alone. Whereas many diseases affect many different races and genders, it seems to affect women more often than men; at least statistics show that women are 2-3 times more likely than men to experience it, affecting about 21 million women and roughly 9 million men. Data also shows that has also affected one ethnicity more than others. Americans of African descent are up to 3 times more likely to have it than those of other races. IBS data, therefore, suggests that IBS is a disease that mainly affects Caucasians and those of a darker skin tone or race. IBS statistics do not, however, specify which gender within these two main categories IBS affects the most.

Which symptoms bother women versus men?

It seems as if there are different sets of symptoms related to each gender because it is likely that IBS affects the genders differently. Data shows that women have complained more of nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain than men. In contrast, men were more likely to experience constipation, gas, and bloating.

What age group is most affected by IBS?

Statistics show that it becomes more prevalent among adults after 40. Approximately 20% of all cases occur in people between the ages of 20-30 years old, whereas about 28% of all cases occur in people between the ages of 40-50 years old. This data suggests that it mainly affects adults but can also affect children if they do not alter their diet accordingly when having symptoms. Data does not necessarily indicate that it affects children more than adults but that it could affect anyone.

What country suffers from IBS more than the others?

Data shows that it is reported in people of different ethnicities living worldwide. However, Americans seem to write it more often than the rest of the world. Statistics show that it makes up about 25% of chronic bowel disease cases reported in North America. In contrast, other parts of the world only show 14% of cases related to bowel complaints. This data suggests that it is reported mainly by Americans and not people from other countries around the globe, which may be because Americans are more likely to seek help for their symptoms or simply because they experience

IBS more than people are living elsewhere in the world. However, IBS data and IBS statistics show this to be untrue because it occurs all around the world and not just in America.