title: The prevalence and risk factors for gallstone disease in taiwanese vegetarians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gallstone disease (GSD) and its complications are major public health issues globally. Although many community-based studies had addressed the risk factors for GSD, little is known about GSD prevalence and risk factors among Taiwanese vegetarians.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 1721 vegetarians who completed a questionnaire detailing their demographics, medical history, and life-styles. GSD was ascertained by ultrasonography or surgical history of cholecystectomy for GSD. The predictive probability of GSD for male and female vegetarians was estimated from the fitted model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of GSD was 8.2% for both male and female vegetarians. The risk of GSD is similar in men and women across all age groups, and increases steadily with increasing age. For male vegetarians, age (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00-1.08) and serum total bilirubin level (OR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.31-4.22) predict risk for GSD. For female vegetarians, age (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05), BMI (OR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01-1.13), and alcohol consumption (OR: 7.85; 95% CI: 1.83-33.73) are associated with GSD. GSD is not associated with type of vegetarian diet, duration of vegetarianism, low education level, physical inactivity, diabetes, coronary artery disease, cerebral vascular accident, chronic renal failure, hepatitis C virus infection, and lipid abnormalities. GSD is also not associated with age at menarche, postmenopausal status, and multiparity in female vegetarians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risk factors useful for predicting GSD in vegetarians are (1) age and total bilirubin level in men, and (2) age, BMI, and alcohol consumption in women. Many previously identified risk factors for general population does not seem to apply to Taiwanese vegetarians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi County, Taiwan; Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Nan
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Medical Mission, Tzu Chi Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Lon
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D001663:Bilirubin