Who Is Affected by Ulcerative Colitis
Most people with ulcerative colitis are diagnosed before the age of 30, though it can occur at any age.
The disease is more common in North America and Europe and less common in Asia and South America. Ashkenazi Jews appear to get ulcerative colitis more than non-Jews.1
Exercising When You Have a GI Disorder
Staying physically fit is a constant struggle for Stephanie Horgan, who, like millions of Americans with gastrointestinal disorders, has to plan her diet, her exercise routines, and her entire life around her condition. "I'm really active now, doing kickboxing, jogging, Spinning at the gym, and eating whatever I want," says the 26-year-old Chicago resident, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at age 18 and had three surgeries within a year. "But you never know when you're going to have...
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About 10% to 20% of people with ulcerative colitis have at least one close family member with the disease, which shows that genetics may be one of the risk factors of ulcerative colitis.1
Citations
Su C, Lichtenstein GR (2006). Ulcerative colitis. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 8th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2499-2548. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
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