This review traces the 100-year epidemiological trajectory of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) across five east and southeast Asian regions — Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia — from the first reported cases in 1920s Japan to 2026, using a four-stage framework (emergence → acceleration in incidence → compounding prevalence → prevalence equilibrium).
Most early-industrialised regions (Europe, North America, Oceania) have reached stage 3 (compounding prevalence), while east and southeast Asian regions are currently in early, middle, or late phases of stage 2 (acceleration in incidence), with some poised to become the first non-early-industrialised regions to enter stage 3.
As a narrative review, it does not pool quantitative data or perform meta-analysis, limiting precision of incidence/prevalence estimates. Coverage is restricted to five selected regions, which may not represent all of east and southeast Asia.
Clinicians in east and southeast Asia should anticipate a sustained rise in IBD diagnoses as their regions approach stage 3, and health systems should proactively build IBD care capacity. Cross-regional epidemiological data from this region can also inform preparedness planning in other newly industrialised and emerging areas.
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