If you have celiac disease, it is not in the same basket as gluten intolerance of gluten sensitivity. While these conditions have uncomfortable side effects, the impact on the long-term health of your body is not impacted in the same way as celiac disease. Celiac disease can be defined as ‘a condition in which the body’s immune system reacts to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in foods made with wheat, barley, rye or oats. Eating foods containing gluten damages the lining of the small bowel. This makes it harder to absorb nutrients from food.’ (1) The negative effects of consuming gluten if you have celiac disease can cause damage to your gut lining, put you at risk of certain cancers, and increased risk of developing other autoimmune diseases. (2)
Your risk of developing celiac disease largely depends on your genetics. There is exciting new research which proposed the potential role of fibre in reducing your risk of developing celiac disease.
Recent research suggests that those who consume a higher amount of fibre rich foods in their diet from the initiation of solids up until the age of two-year-old was associated with a reduced risk of developing celiac disease (3).
The research was published from the Lund University of Sweden. The researchers followed the diets of six thousand, five hundred and twenty children with an increased genetic risk of developing celiac disease. At the start of the study children were between the ages of zero to five years old. The researchers followed the children, their diets and development of celiac disease until the age of thirteen.
Four hundred and seventy-nine children went on to develop celiac disease. Mostly these were diagnosed at the age of three years old. The researchers found that the children with higher amounts of fibre in their diet before the age of two years old had a much less likely risk of developing celiac disease.
The source of the fibre was not important and could be from a variety of sources including seeds, nuts, wholegrains like oats, wholegrain pasta, brown, red or black rice, quinoa, wholegrain crackers, wholegrain couscous. Also, legumes and beans, vegetables, and fruit. It was the total amount of fibre which was the most important component to reducing the risk of developing celiac disease.
The researchers found that the protective effects of a higher fibre diet were not seen in the children and adolescents. The researchers proposed that it was likely due to the prebiotic effects of fibre which introduce health promoting microbes into the gut. As a result of this health promoting microbes there was a positive impact on the immune system and the gut barrier.
While more research is needed this is an exciting finding which could give those at greater risk of developing celiac disease greater control in the development of this auto immune disease.
Take home message: There are many health benefits of including adequate fibre in your diet. This research proposes another one of many reasons to make sure you are providing your body with the optimal amount of fibre it needs, starting from the initial stages of food introduction.
If you are seeking individualised, client centred support to help you to optimise the fibre in your diet, reach out to Feed Your Future Dietetics today!
References:
- Coeliac Disease. Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team. Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au Developed: September 2017 Due for review: September 2019
- Autoimmune Disorders. Celiac Disease Foundation. https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/related-conditions/autoimmune-disorders/
- Hård Af Segerstad EM, Mramba LK, Aronsson CA, Uusitalo U, Virtanen SM, Agardh D; TEDDY Study Group. Early Dietary Fiber Intake Reduces Celiac Disease Risk in Genetically Prone Children: Insights From the TEDDY Study. Gastroenterology. 2025 Feb 7:S0016-5085(25)00358-0. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.01.241. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39924056.
