Epidemiology of Celiac Disease

Abstract

As an important component of wheat, rye, and barley, gluten can be found in a large variety of foods consumed throughout the world (breads, pasta, pizza, etc.). However, the introduction of gluten-containing grains in the human diet about 10,000 years ago created the conditions for human diseases related to gluten exposure. These reactions to gluten represent a heterogeneous set of conditions, including celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and wheat allergy, which combined affect about 10 % of the general population. These three conditions represent distinct pathophysiological reactions to gluten ingestion, with differing clinical presentations, serological markers, and long-term treatments. Though current research strives to clarify the boundaries between these entities, their differences can be difficult to distinguish. This chapter provides an overview of the ever-evolving definitions of gluten-related disorders.