Celiac disease is a chronic digestive and autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine. The disease is triggered by eating foods containing gluten. The disease can cause long-lasting digestive problems and keep your body from getting all the nutrients it needs.
Celiac disease was first identified in the early 1900s. Today, gluten avoidance continues to be the only treatment for patients with celiac disease.
Celiac disease should not be confused with “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” (NCGS) which is less severe and much more difficult to diagnose.
Between 1990 and 2010, the incidence of celiac disease quadrupled in the United Kingdom.
Far more data is needed to determine the cause of this increase in incidence. It is the goal of the Open Epidemiology Initiative to massively expand the collection of incidence data and of factors that could be influencing it.