In a new study, researchers found that for every 10 adults in the world, four suffer from functional gut disorders of varying severity.
The findings are from analyses of more than 73,000 people in 33 countries.
The research was conducted by the University of Gothenburg scientists and other people.
Functional gastrointestinal disorders, FGIDs, is a collective term for chronic disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, with severe symptoms, for which clear explanations or connections with objective findings from routine investigations are lacking.
The symptoms may arise throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
From the upper part, the esophagus and stomach, they can include heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion (dyspepsia).
In everyday parlance, the latter is often called “a sensitive stomach” or “gastritis,” although there is no stomach inflammation.
For the lower parts (the intestines), chronic constipation, abdominal distension or bloating, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are among the complaints.
The present study gives an overall picture of the global prevalence of FGIDs.
The team found that the prevalence of FGIDs was higher in women than in men, and clearly associated with lower quality of life.
According to the questionnaire responses, 49% of the women and 37% of the men met the diagnostic criteria for at least one FGID.
The severity of the disorders varied, from mild discomfort to symptoms that adversely affected the quality of life to a high degree.
The prevalence of FGIDs was also strongly associated with high consumption of healthcare, such as visits to the doctor and the use of medication, but also surgery.
One author of the study is Magnus Simrén, Professor of Gastroenterology at Sahlgrenska Academy.
The study is published in the journal Gastroenterology.
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