Celiac Disease, a Common, but Elusive, Diagnosis

Celiac Disease, a Common, but Elusive, Diagnosis - NYTimes.com

• “Celiac disease is now five times more common than it was 50 years ago, and that’s not just the result of better diagnoses.”
• Celiac disease now affects one in 100 Caucasians.
• People of all ages may develop it.
• The overwhelming majority of people with celiac disease remain undiagnosed.
• In undiagnosed celiac disease the symptoms are sometimes attributed to other causes like irritable bowel syndrome or an allergy.
• It is critically important to be tested before going on a gluten-free diet, which can disguise the intestinal damage characteristic of the condition. Those already eating a restricted diet would have to return to gluten (say, eating two slices of bread a day for two weeks) for the test to be accurate.

Note: There are some interesting remarks included in the comments section of this New York Times article.

Other resources:
http://celiac.org/ (Celiac Disease Foundation)
http://www.celiac.com