Table of Contents
Risk Factors
About 1 million Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and about half of these patients have Crohn's disease. There are several risk factors for Crohn’s disease.
Age
Crohn’s disease can occur at any age, but is most frequently diagnosed in people ages 15 - 35. About 10% of patients are children under age 18.
Gender
Men and women are equally at risk for developing Crohn’s disease.
Family History
Crohn’s disease tends to run in families, with 20 - 25% of patients having a close relative who also has the disease.
Race and Ethnicity
Crohn’s disease is more common among whites, although incidence rates have been increasing among African-Americans as well. It is less common among Latinos and Asians. Jewish people of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) descent are at 4 - 5 times higher risk than the general population.
Smoking
Smoking appears to increase the risk of developing Crohn’s disease, and can worsen the course of the disease. (Conversely, smoking appears to decrease the risk of ulcerative colitis. However, because of the hazards of smoking, it should never be used to protect against ulcerative colitis.)
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Review Date: 09/28/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
