Common risk factors in the development of gallstone disease include age, sex, pregnancy, and oral contraceptives and estrogen replacement therapy. Less common risk factors include rapid weight loss, prolonged total parenteral nutrition and hepatic and biliary cirrhosis.

• Common risk factors in the development of gallstone disease include:^{[1][2][3][4][3][5]}
  • Age
    • Age is the most important risk factor.
    • The most common age for developing gallstones was found to be between ages 40 – 69 years.
    • Cholelithiasis rarely exists in children unless in a hemolytic state.
  • Gender
    • A higher incidence is noted in women across all age groups.
  • Race
    • Gallstone disease is common amongst Pima Indians, North Americans and Chileans. Japanese have the lowest incidence.
  • Pregnancy
    • Cholesterol gallstone incidence in pregnant women is very common, paarticularly in multiparous women.
  • Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
    • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus will cause motility problems in the gallbladder.
  • Obesity
    • Obesity is related to a high fat or high cholesterol diet.

• Less common risk factorsin the development of gallstone disease include:^{[6][7][8][9][10]}
  • Rapidly weight loss and gastric bypass surgery
  • Long-term octreotide
  • Long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
  • Drug induced e.g. Ceftriaxone^[11]
  • Prolonged fasting
  • Presence of Crohn’s disease
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Liver cirrhosis
  • Extensive bowel resection
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Use of medications such as
    • Chlorpromazine
    • Octreotide
    • Clofibrate