Lactose malabsorption in Australian Aborigines.

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of lactose malabsorption in healthy, adult Australian Aborigines. Malabsorption of lactose was measured in 45 full-blood Aboriginal subjects and 37 non-Aboriginal, multiracial controls using the breath hydrogen method. Eighty-four percent of the Aboriginal subjects were found to be lactose malabsorbers and 64% developed abdominal pain or diarrhea. In the control subjects, 20% were found to be lactose malabsorbers and all of these developed symptoms of diarrhea. The results provide strong evidence that Australian Aborigines, in common with most human adults, are lactase deficient.