Kirov residents less frequently encounter the "defense gene" against severe intestinal disease.

      Scientists have discovered why some people can avoid chronic inflammation of the colon for a long time, while others fall into a high-risk group. The key lies in a "break" on the 21st chromosome, specifically in a gene variant designated as rs2836882.

      As specialists explain (the study involved geneticists from the company Genotek, who analyzed over 166,000 samples), there are two forms of this DNA segment: "G" and "A." If a person inherits the "aggressive" G variant from their parents, their immune cells begin to operate in hyper-protective mode, attacking their own intestines. However, if the genotype includes the protective version "A" (especially in a double copy — AA), the risk of developing the disease decreases by about 35%.

      Who is the luckiest: a ranking of nations

      Geneticists compiled a detailed ranking of ethnic groups in Russia, where this "shield" against the disease is most commonly found. The data turned out to be unexpected: the usual division into "North/South" or "West/East" does not apply here.

      The absolute record holders for the presence of the protective genotype AA are the Karachays and Balkars — 14.05% of them have two copies of the "beneficial" allele*. This means that among these peoples, the risk of ulcerative colitis is almost one and a half times lower compared to the average Russian. The Yakuts follow closely behind (12.83%) — despite the harsh climate and specific diet, their genetics give them an advantage in protecting the intestines. Rounding out the top three are the Ossetians (12.54%) and Bashkirs (10.23%).

      However, the further down the list, the more alarming the picture becomes for some peoples. Russians ranked 13th with a figure of only 6.72% — almost half that of the Karachays. Even lower are the Tatars (6.67%) and Chechens (6.01%).

      But the real risk zone is at the bottom of the ranking. Among the Mari, the protective variant is found in only 4.83%. Among Koreans — 3.36%. And the anti-record holders are the Kazakhs: only 2.31% of them can boast the AA genotype. This means that the genetic predisposition to ulcerative colitis among Kazakhs is the highest among all the peoples included in the study. In other words, under otherwise equal conditions (stress, diet, ecology), this group has the highest chances of falling ill.

      What does this mean for the average person?

      Having the "bad" G variant is not a death sentence, and the absence of the "good" AA is not a diagnosis. The disease is triggered only when heredity combines with external factors: severe stress, dietary errors, intestinal infections, or immune system disorders. However, now doctors and patients from the mentioned groups (especially Kazakhs, Koreans, and Maris) know that they should pay more attention to prevention and not ignore alarming symptoms — for example, blood in the stool or chronic diarrhea.

      Kirov residents in the risk group

      Returning to city statistics: residents of Kirov found themselves in the zone of least genetic protection. According to published data, only 4.81% of Kirov residents have two copies of the protective allele A. This is one of the lowest figures among all analyzed cities in Russia. Kirov is listed alongside cities like Oryol (4.76%) and Omsk (4.21%), and noticeably lags behind even Yoshkar-Ola (9.54%) or Yakutsk (10.26%). This means that the theoretical predisposition to ulcerative colitis among Kirov residents is higher than that of residents in most other regions.