A global perspective on gastrointestinal diseases.

Common gastrointestinal diseases often exhibit geographic, cultural, and gender variations. Diseases previously less common in certain areas of the world have shown a recent increase in prevalence. Industrialization has traditionally been noted as a major cause for this epidemiologic evolution. However, environmental factors such as diet, hygiene, and exposure to infections may play a major role. Moreover, the way one disease presents in a certain location may vary significantly from the way it manifests in another culture or location. This article discusses global variations of inflammatory bowel disease, Helicobacter pylori, irritable bowel disease, fecal incontinence, hepatitis B, and hepatocellular cancer.