Who is at risk to develop gallstones?
People with certain characteristics have been associated with the development of gallstone disease. These include: • People who are overweight; • Older persons; • Pregnant women; • Women who use hormone contraceptives and post-menopausal hormones; • Persons with a family history of gallstones; • Persons of American Indian ancestry; • Persons with diseases of the small intestine; and • Persons who have recently lost weight. The three most important risk factors for developing gallstone disease are body weight, increasing age and being female. The risk of developing gallstones in obese persons is three to sevenfold greater than for persons of normal weight. Women are more likely to develop gallstones than men. Approximately 12% of all women; but only 8% of men, have gallstones. The risk of gallstones increases with age for men and women. By age 60, nearly 10% of men and over 20% of women have gallstones. Rapid weight reduction has also been associated with the development of gallstones.
