Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0872-1 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
Title: Quantifying the effects of aging and urbanization on major gas trointestinal diseases to 
guide preventative strategies  
 
Version: 1 Date: 17 Jul 2018  
 
Reviewer: Li-Hong Yin  
 
Reviewer's report:  
This work were committed to quantify the effects of aging and urbaniz ation on major 
gastrointestinal disease. The authors evaluated the mortality statistics from the most developed 
cities and less developed rural areas in China through a retrospective design. The relative risk of 
death associated with urbanization and age w as quantified using Generalized linear model. And 
they finally found that mortality rate for most gastrointestinal diseases was sensitive to 
urbanization. This is an interesting work. The statistical methods seemed appropriate. The data 
was well analyzed a nd represented with some interesting schematic tables.  
I think the authors have put in adequate effort and I commend them for this work. There are no 
major concerns.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects requ ire further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I am able to assess the statistics  
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
Acceptable  
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents re lating to the content of the manuscript?  
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interes ts' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manusc ript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
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CC-BY license ( http://cre ativecommons.org/license  s/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the jour nal