How Common is Celiac Disease?

Do you have celiac disease because of your ethnicity? Yesterday I would have said, no, absolutely not. But after reading the article, “Celiac disease may vary by ethnicity,” I learned  it may be otherwise. According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Gastronomy, celiac disease may be more prevalent among non-Hispanic whites then any other ethnicity in America. According to the study it is also more common among women then men. The study was conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic to study the prevalence of celiac disease. This disease is an auto-immune disorder that will destroy the intestines if gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barely, is digested. Individuals who have celiac disease find relief from intestinal pains, fatigue, and other symptoms, when they completely cut gluten from their diets.

Researchers of the study inspected blood tests from a nationally representative sample of almost 8,000 individuals to find the prevalence of celiac disease. They found indicators of celiac disease in 35 participants, twenty-nine of whom had not previously been diagnosed with the disorder. Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and co-author of the study Alberto Rubio-Tapia said, “Virtually all the individuals we found were non-Hispanic Caucasians” and “that is something we don't fully understand.” The study suggested that 1 in every 100 non-Hispanic whites, and 1 in every 141 people in the United States are affected by celiac disease.

The gluten-free trend has become popular across that nation for a variety of reasons, including an increase of digestive disorders and a belief that going gluten-free is more healthy. Despite this, our current understanding of celiac disease is very limited. Co-author of the study Joseph Murray said, “There are a lot of people on a gluten-free diet, and it's not clear what the medical need for that is.”

Dietitians have suggested that many products without gluten are low in nutrients, especially fiber and iron. This is because manufacturers often rely on rice four, corn starch, potato starch, and tapioca starch for a cheap gluten-free combination (www.foodnavigator-usa.com). Fortunately, Kay's Naturals has created more health conscious gluten-free products. We pack all of our products with protein rich soy and other all-natural ingredients so that each serving size has 12 grams of protein, as well as fiber and iron. To learn more about Kay’s Natural products visit our website.

Although additional research is needed on celiac disease and other gluten related illnesses, we are happy to know that convenient and healthy food options are available to those who are gluten-free. We hope more gastroenterologists conducts such studies to shed much needed light on the prevalence of celiac disease and how it affects us.

To read the complete article “The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in the United States” visit the website here.