Raising Awareness of Celiac Disease
While adopting a gluten-free diet has become more popular in recent years, it’s easy to forget that there are some individuals who absolutely must adhere to a strict gluten-free lifestyle. Celiac disease is a serious genetic autoimmune disorder that damages the villi within the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of celiac disease include:
- Anemia
- Anxiety
- Bloating or gas
- Constipation
- Delayed growth in children
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Discolored teeth
- Fatigue/tiredness
- Headaches or migraines
- Infertility
- Irritability
- Itchy skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Joint pain
- Pale mouth sores
- Poor weight gain
- Thin bones
- Tingling/numbness
Who is affected?
It’s estimated that 1% of the population, or 1 in 133 Americans has celiac disease.
Celiac disease affects men and women of all ages and ethnicities.
An estimated 83% of Americans with celiac disease go undiagnosed or have been misdiagnosed with other conditions.
The average person with celiac disease waits 6-10 years to be correctly diagnosed!
Celiac disease can lead to other health concerns, including infertility, reduced bone density, neurological disorders, cancer, or other autoimmune diseases.
Up to 22% of people with celiac disease have an immediate family member who also has celiac disease.
There are no medical treatments or cures for celiac disease. A 100% gluten-free diet is the only existing treatment today.
As public awareness of celiac disease grows, it’s estimated that the diagnosis rate may reach 50-60% by 2019.