Low but increasing rates of inflammatory bowel disease in Māori: a report from Lakes District Health Board IBD.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic, inflammatory diseases that are increasingly prevalent in New Zealand. Previous regional studies describe significantly lower rates of IBD in Māori compared to non-Māori. This article reports the prevalence and incidence of IBD at Lakes District Health Board, and discusses potential contributing factors to the observed increasing incidence rates in Māori. Although the rates are still less than non-Māori, colonisation with increased urbanisation and changes in diet and hygiene suggest that IBD rates may continue to increase in Māori.