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Bethany Adair Quinn

Professor Ronald Vernon
Foundations of Nutrition
29 November 2016
Research Paper
Celiac Disease
Wouldnt you like to know why all the supermarkets aisles are
starting to be filled with gluten free products? It is because Celiac
disease is becoming a more common diagnosed disorder. The Celiac
Disease Foundation defines celiac disease as a serious genetic
autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in
the small intestine. In other words, it is a hypersensitivity to gluten that
leads to difficulty in digesting food. It is important that all people know
about it, whether or not they have been diagnosed with celiac disease.
People should learn about this disorder for several reasons; there is a
chance they could have the disorder themselves and need to treat it,
someone around them could have the disorder and they need to know
how to help them, or some other reason.
The Celiac Disease Foundation has pointed out that there are more
than 200 symptoms of celiac disease, which makes it very difficult to
diagnose. Some symptoms that can occur with this disorder depend on a
persons age (Bozzola, 2014). Symptoms may include chronic diarrhea,
chronic constipation, abdominal pain, nausea vomiting distended
abdomen and flatulence (Drabkin, 2016). Celiac disease can even stunt

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growth and delay puberty. It is also known to affect a persons skin, head,
nose, eyes, ears, and throat in negative ways (Drabkin, 2016). Celiac
disease is sometimes caused by a genetic predisposition, sometimes by
an environmental trigger, and sometimes by both (Drabkin, 2016). There
is a way to be tested for celiac disease, but it is not always correct. A
common way for people to test if they are a celiac is to try the gluten-free
diet. I knew that I had celiac disease when I didnt eat gluten for a week
and felt great but then ate gluten again and felt terrible (Adair, C. 2016).
Unfortunately, basically no one is completely exempt from having
celiac disease. A man, woman, or child can be affected, as well as any
race. Women tend to be more commonly affected by this disorder than
men are though (Drabkin, 2016). About 1 in every 133 Americans has
celiac disease (Celiac Disease: Fast Facts). As shown in the figure below,
it is estimated that 83% of Americans who have celiac disease are
undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions (Celiac Disease: Fast
Facts). And last but not least, it has been predicted that the diagnosis
rate of celiac disease could reach 50% to 60% by the year 2019 (Celiac
Disease: Fast Facts).

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Being allergic to wheat is not the same thing as having celiac

disease. The difference is mainly in the genetic factors, but also in
symptoms of each. Having celiac disease is more than just not eating
wheat; it excludes all kinds of gluten (Adair, L. 2016). This includes
pastas, crackers, some seasonings and spices, certain starches, durum,
barley, rye, oats and hundreds more items. Depending on the severity of
the disorder, it is important for some people to make sure they do not eat
anything that is even processed near any type of gluten.

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Currently there are no pharmaceutical treatments for celiac disease
(Celiac Disease: Fast Facts). The only treatment is a completely glutenfree diet. With no other treatments available, it is important that people
know and understand how to help people with celiac disease. Even the
smallest amount of gluten in a celiacs diet can seriously affect them. In
addition to helping celiacs with their diets, it would benefit people to try
the gluten-free diet. Overall, whether a person has this disorder or not,
everyone should be knowledgeable about the celiac disease.

Works Cited

Adair, Lisa. Questions about Celiac Disease. Personal interview. 19 Nov.

2016.

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Adair, Colton. Living as a Celiac. Personal interview. 20 Nov. 2016.

Bozzola, Mauro, et al. Celiac Disease: An Update. New York: Nova Science
Publishers, Inc., 2014. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). 20 Nov. 2016.

Celiac Disease: Fast Facts. Celiac Disease: Fast Facts | BeyondCeliac.org.

N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016. http://www.beyondceliac.org/celiacdisease/facts-and-figures/

Drabkin, Alan. Stat Consult. Celiac Disease. Clinical Advisor 19.11

(2016): 86-90. CINAHL complete. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

What Is Celiac Disease? Celiac Disease Foundation. Celiac Disease

Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2016. https://celiac.org/celiacdisease/understanding-celiac-disease-2/what-is-celiac-disease/