Coeliac disease screening among a large cohort of overweight/obese children

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2015 Mar;60(3):405-7. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000000656.

Abstract

Coeliac disease (CD) is a chronic, gluten-dependent enteropathy with a prevalence of approximately 1% in Western countries. Up to now, CD has been described only in sporadic cases of obesity. Our study aimed to evaluate retrospectively CD prevalence in a large series of overweight/obese children and adolescents. Among the 1527 overweight/obese children and adolescents consecutively evaluated, 17 (7 boys, 1.11%) were positive for serology and showed villous atrophy. In all of the patients with CD a well-balanced gluten-free diet was started, and a loss of weight rapidly obtained. Our study demonstrates that CD prevalence in overweight/obese children is similar to the general paediatric population in Italy.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Development
  • Adult
  • Body Mass Index
  • Celiac Disease / complications
  • Celiac Disease / diagnosis*
  • Celiac Disease / diet therapy
  • Celiac Disease / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child Development
  • Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diet, Gluten-Free
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening
  • Obesity / complications
  • Overweight / complications*
  • Pediatric Obesity / complications*
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rome / epidemiology
  • Weight Loss
  • Young Adult