Coeliac Awareness Week 2007 – Interesting Facts
Filed under : Celiac / Coeliac News > Celiac / Coeliac Research > Events > Gluten Free Australia > Gluten Free Living
Some interesting facts from this month’s Australian Coeliac Sentinel
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The 12th International Celiac Symposium was held in New York in Nov. 2006, organised by an Australian, Dr. Peter Green who is Director of Celiac Disease Centre at Columbia University in New York City. The high but undetected rate of celiac disease in many communities and patient groups was the topic of many of the presentations.
In Hungary, community nurses used finger prick tests for celiac disease that can be read in 5 minutes to find affected children before they start school. Amongst the 2676 children tested, 1 in 73 were found to have Celiac disease. In Finland, it was reported that the prevalence of celiac disease has doubled in the last 20 years. In Sweden suffered from an epidemic of celiac disease among children born in 1993, but only half as many children born with the disease in 1999. Sweden is now recommending not to introduce Gluten into a baby’s diet until 6 months and to breast feed until at least 9 months as studies have shown that environment plays a critical role in determining whether Coeliac disease does develop. |
The most interesting session was regarding initial clinic trials of a drug designed to reduce intestinal leakiness. The drug was safe and showed promising activity to reduce the damage caused by moderate amounts of gluten.
Australia is doing research work leading to the design of a Coeliac vaccine. Australia has a large footprint on the Coeliac world map. Our food labeling laws are the most advanced in the world, and our research is highly regarded.
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