The study of DNA from 230 Eurasians who lived between 6500 BC and 300 BC showed that Russian herders from the Great Steppes brought the enzymes for lactose tolerance into Europe.Nov 23, 2015
Why is lactose intolerance less common in Europe?
About 80 percent of the people in southern Europe now are lactose intolerant, which means that there was a relatively small window for the gene variant to have come into prevalence in northern Europe. Burger says he will study more populations in Eurasia to try to determine when the gene variant spiked in frequency.
Is lactose intolerance common in Europe?
While 65% or more of the total human population are lactose intolerant, in some human populations lactase activity commonly persists into adulthood. Lactose tolerance is exceptionally widespread in Northern European countries such as Sweden and Finland, with tolerance levels of 74% and 82%, respectively.
Why Europeans can digest milk?
Symptoms of this “lactose intolerance” include bloating and diarrhoea after drinking milk. However, over 90% of northern Europeans have a version of the lactase gene that remains active throughout life, enabling them to continue drinking milk as adults.
What country is the least lactose intolerant?
The ten countries with the lowest prevalence of lactose intolerance are:
- Denmark – 4%
- Ireland – 4%
- Sweden – 7%
- United Kingdom – 8%
- New Zealand – 10%
- Netherlands – 12%
- Norway – 12%
- Niger – 13%
Which culture is most lactose intolerant?
Lactose intolerance in adulthood is most prevalent in people of East Asian descent, with 70 to 100 percent of people affected in these communities. Lactose intolerance is also very common in people of West African, Arab, Jewish, Greek, and Italian descent.
What race is least lactose intolerant?
How many people are lactose intolerant? Estimates for lactose intolerance vary by ethnicity. African American and Asian ethnicities see a 75% – 95% lactose intolerance rate, while northern Europeans have a lower rate at 18% – 26% lactose intolerance.
What percent of China is lactose intolerant?
Global Prevalence of Lactose Intolerance by Country
| Country | Prevalence |
|---|---|
| Cameroon | 89% |
| Canada | 59% |
| Chile | 56% |
| China | 85% |
Are Irish lactose intolerant?
Lactose intolerance is one of the more common food intolerances. Worldwide,it is thought that about 35% of people are unable to tolerate lactose. However, North Europeans, including Irish people, have a much higher tolerance for lactose, so only about 5% of Irish people are thought to be lactose intolerant.
What ethnicity is most lactose intolerant?
Lactose intolerance in adulthood is most prevalent in people of East Asian descent, with 70 to 100 percent of people affected in these communities. Lactose intolerance is also very common in people of West African, Arab, Jewish, Greek, and Italian descent.