Predictive Factors for a Clinical Diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in a Large Cohort of Young Adults.

Predictive Factors for a Clinical Diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in a Large Cohort of 440,822 Young Adults.

The prevalence of IBS in the community has been reported in numerous cross-sectional surveys. However, less is known about the incidence of IBS ,mainly due to its slow development and to patients under-reporting. Furthermore, only one study has analyzed data concerning potential risk factors for the diagnosis of IBS. The investigators will examine the incidence of IBS in a large cohort of young adults and will look at the association of socioeconomic, anthropometric and occupational factors with IBS incidence.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All Israeli men and women
• aged 18-39 years
• served in active military service (mandatory and career service) between the years 2005-2011

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of celiac disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Cancer in the digestive system