Celiac Disease Linked to Infections, Breastfeeding

Celiac Disease Linked to Infections, Breastfeeding

Here’s a review of what the investigators discovered:

• Children who had three or more infections (as reported by their parents) had a 50 percent increased risk of celiac disease. Infections could include common cold, urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, ear infections, and fever, among others.
• Children who experienced gastroenteritis had an 80 percent increased risk of developing celiac disease
• The greatest risk of celiac was seen in children who had experienced several infections before they were six months old and who also had consumed a greater amount of gluten. The impact was most evident in children who were no longer being breastfed before gluten was introduced to their diet
• Breastfeeding at the same time gluten was introduced to the diet was associated with a decreased risk of celiac disease