Incidence and Prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease across Asia

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn''s disease (CD), are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract caused by interactions between genetic, environmental, immunological, and microbial factors. While the incidence and prevalence of IBD in Asian populations were relatively lower than those in Western countries, they appear to be gradually increasing. A Westernized diet, high socioeconomic status, improvement of hygiene, and development of vaccination could affect the increases in IBD incidence and prevalence in Asian countries. This review describes the latest trends in the incidence and prevalence of IBD in Asia. Studying the epidemiology of IBD in Asia may unravel the etiopathogenesis of and risk factors for IBD.