Celiac Complaints Rising In US

HealthDay (8/20, Thompson) reported, “Complaints of celiac disease are on the rise in the United States,” with “one in every 133 US residents” believed to be affected by the disease, although “adults with celiac disease often don’t suffer the digestive symptoms associated with gluten intolerance.” This “increased incidence rate has left researchers scrambling to figure out why more people are developing the chronic digestive disorder.” Some researchers hypothesize that increased sanitation and hygiene could be making immune systems more sensitive or changing the bacteria in our gut. Others attribute the rise to more gluten in grains today, earlier exposure to gluten, and fewer women breast feeding.