Coeliac disease is a common digestive condition causing inflammation of the small intestine and renders it unable to absorb nutrients. It is a long-term auto-immune condition resulting to gastrointestinal complications and starts between 6 months and 2 years. While the condition primarily affects children, it can develop at any stage or age. It is associated with other autoimmune disorders such as diabetes mellitus and down’s syndrome. The disease results from adverse reactions to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. The main symptoms associated with the condition are diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence and bloating, indigestion, and constipation. There are also other symptoms linked with the disorder, which include fatigue due to lack of sufficient nutrients, unanticipated loss of weight, having itchy rashes, and delayed development in children (NHS, 2016). While there is no known cure for the condition, it can be managed through a gluten-free diet. Eating gluten-free meals control the symptoms and prevent long-term impacts of the condition. Failure to eat gluten-free meals leads to adverse health complications such as weak bones, deficiency of iron, deficiency of vitamin B12 and folate. For pregnant individuals, continuing eating of gluten-rich meals leads to low birth weight of babies. Moreover, people suffering from coeliac disease and continue using gluten-rich meals have increased risks of bowel cancer (NHS, 2016). Personally, I think the disease occurs more in affluent societies compared to developing ones. The risks for contracting the condition are high among individuals with diabetes and other autoimmune diseases, down syndrome, and turner syndrome, which are conditions more prevalent in affluent nations (NHS, 2016).
References
NHS. (2016, December 4). Overview: Coeliac disease . Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coeliac-disease/
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