Lactose Intolerance & Race

Lactose intolerance can affect the quality of your diet, especially regarding certain nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D. Lactose intolerance seems to affect people of color more than descendants from Northern European nations. American blacks, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Alaskan Natives and Pacific Islanders seem to be genetically predisposed to become lactose intolerant. Groups with a higher risk of developing lactose intolerance could become unnecessarily deficient in calcium and vitamin D, which may increase their need for nutriitonal supplementation to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a deficiency in producing lactase, the enzyme to breakdown milk sugar lactose into glucose and galactose. Lactose intolerance can start as early as 2 years of age, but you can remain symptom-free for years. According to Johns Hospkins Medicine, as you age, your body's ability to deal with lactose declines and symptoms start to more apparent. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, flatulence and nausea. These symptoms can appear with servings of milk or dairy products as small as 1 cup.

Ethnic Differences

Hispanic and African-American children are more likely to be lactose intolerant than Caucasian children within the same age group, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. It seems that children under the age of 6 don't experience symptoms of lactose intolerance or still produce smaller quantities of lactase. As children of color age, they may be less able to produce small amounts of lactase and start to experience symptoms earlier in life than Caucasians, espeically in the United States.

Older Ethnic Populations

As the general population ages, all ethnic groups experience some loss in lactase production and become lactose intolerant. The NCMHD Center of Excellence for Nutritional Genomics states Southeastern Asians, Asian Americans and Alaskan Eskimos experience the greatest incidence of lactose intolerance followed by American blacks, rural community Mexicans and North American Jews. The NCMHD has evaluated the genetic make up of these ethnic groups to lessen health disparities among various ethnic groups. These groups have been identified as having a genetic predisposition to developing lactose intolerance and can experience symptoms earlier in adulthood than descendants of Northern European nations.

Nutritional Deficiencies

American Blacks often consume less calcium-rich and vitamin D containing foods. Increased prevalence of lactose intolerance hinders consumption of dairy products and limits the availability of these nutrients in their diets. The National Institutes of Health states lower bone density can result in this ethnic group because of the low intakes of calcium and vitamin D. Dairy exclusion diets can be risky for groups that are predisposed to lactose intolerance. Missing nutrients have to be obtained from other foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. People may need nutriional supplements to prevent increasing the risk of developing osteoporosis, according to the National Institutes of Health. Older adults of high-risk ethnic groups often don't meet their calcium and vitamin D requirement through diet alone and may need supplementation of both nutrients to meet the recommended daily allowance.

Lactose Intolerance & Race