Tag: East asian

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 65% of the global adult population has a reduced ability to digest lactose, but this prevalence varies significantly across different ethnic and racial groups. This variation is largely due to genetic differences linked to the history of dairy farming in different parts of the world.

An estimated 70% to 100% of people of East Asian descent exhibit lactase nonpersistence, making East Asian populations the most likely to experience lactose intolerance. This striking variation in digestive ability is a result of thousands of years of human and cultural evolution.

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 68% of the world's population has lactose malabsorption, with the highest prevalence found in Asian populations. Yet, despite this high average, the question remains: are there lactose tolerant Asians? The answer is a complex 'yes,' depending on genetics, ancestry, and cultural history.