Background : Well-known risk factors for gallbladder polyps (GBPs) were metabolic syndrome, young age, dyslipidemia. Jeju Island is the biggest island of South Korea, approximately 80km south away from the mainland of Korea. Although it is divided into Jeju City and Seogwipo City by an administration division, those are naturally subdivided into two areas (urban vs. rural) because of more businesses, facilities and schools. Many migrants and younger adults tend to live in the urban area where there are more commercial activity. Because older adults engaged in fisheries or agriculture, they tend to live in the rural area. Older adults tend to maintain a traditional diet and many of them are high-risk alcohol drinkers. Alcohol consumption or older age could affect the prevalence of GBPs among residents in two areas. Therefore, we investigated the prevalences of GBPs and compared various factors associated with GBPs among residents in two areas.

Methods : A total of 21,734 residents who visited a single medical check-up center in Jeju National University Hospital from January 2010 and December 2019 were included in this study. we investigated the prevalences of GBPs and compared various factors associated with GBPs among residents in two areas.

Results : The prevalences of GBPs were 10.1% in the urban area 8.7%, respectively (P = 0.006). The mean level of total cholesterol among residents in the urban area was statically higher than that in the rural area; however, the mean levels of alkaline phosphate and gamma-glutamyltransferase related to alcohol consumption and the mean age among residents in the rural area significantly higher than in the urban area.

Conclusions : This study showed that the prevalence of GBPs among residents in the rural area is statistically lower than in the urban area on Jeju Island. Age, alcohol consumption and total cholesterol level could contribute a significant difference of GBPs prevalences in two areas on Jeju Island.