Lactose Intolerance

Paper Summary:

This paper begins by providing a definition of lactose intolerance and a description of its relevance to nutrition, consumers, health care professionals, and patients. The writer explains that lactose intolerance is a disease aggravated by milk sugars. It can be controlled by diet, but often other measures must also be used to control the disease, including the use of dietary aids such as "Lactaid." The writer puts forth the argument that health care professionals must understand the treatment and problems associated with the disease to help their patients combat it. A major part of this understanding requires a knowledge and understanding of the principles of proper nutrition.

From the Paper:

"Lactose intolerance affects millions of Americans. In fact, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) estimates that 50 million Americans suffer from the disease, and it can make their lives miserable if it is not treated. The symptoms of lactose intolerance include stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, gas, painful bloating, and flatulence ("Living" 66). These symptoms can begin as soon as 30 minutes after consuming milk products, and can last for several hours. While the disease can exist from birth, it often occurs in older women, and many ethnic populations, including African Americans, Jews, Mexican-Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. The AGA estimates that almost 75 percent of blacks and 90 percent of Asian Americans exhibit lactose intolerance (Editors). Thus, the disease can be considered an ethnic disease that affects the general population as well. Medically, the definition of the disease is the inability of the small intestine to break down and adsorb milk sugar (lactose)."

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