Health Days 2021

Celiac Disease Awareness Month

Overview:

Celiac disease, or gluten sensitive enteropathy, is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack the small intestine as a result of ingesting gluten-containing foods. The cause of celiac remains unknown, but there are risk factors that could make its onset more likely.
Gluten is a protein often found in wheat and barley.
Most of the problems associated with celiac have to do with growth and malnutrition due to intestinal damage.
Complications of celiac only affect people who continue to consume gluten.
There is no cure for celiac; however, a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet can help manage it.

Facts:

Celiac is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide.
Celiac is a genetic disease that parents pass down to their children. It only develops if a person was born with a specific gene.
Some mild cases of celiac may result in no symptoms, and only a diagnosis can prove that a person has celiac.
Some people could get symptoms after consuming gluten once, while others could get them after consuming gluten a few times.
Symptoms could include:

Diarrhea (the most common symptom)
Disorders in the digestive system (e.g. nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, bloating and constipation)
Loss of appetite
The appearance of fats with feces; as they may not be absorbed into the body
Fatigue and tiredness due to the poor absorption of vitamins and nutrients
Unexplained weight loss

Objectives:

Raise awareness about the disease.

Official date: