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Hemochromatosis
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Risk Factors of Hemochromatosis
Hereditary hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States. It most often affects Caucasians of Northern European descent, although other ethnic groups are also affected.
About five people out of 1,000 - 0.5 percent - of the U.S. Caucasian population carry two copies of the hemochromatosis gene and are susceptible to developing the disease.
One out of every 8 to 12 people is a carrier of one abnormal gene.
Hemochromatosis is less common in African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and American Indians.
Although both men and women can inherit the gene defect, men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with hereditary hemochromatosis at a younger age. On average, men develop symptoms and are diagnosed between 30 to 50 years of age. For women, the average age of diagnosis is about 50.
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References:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
April 2007
digestive.niddk.nih.gov
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