Who is affected by celiac disease
The exact number of people who have celiac disease is not known. Newer screening tests have shown that many people with this condition have only mild symptoms or none at all. Because of this and the fact that some health professionals may not consider celiac disease as a possible diagnosis when symptoms occur, the condition is now known to be more common than originally believed. Some research samples in the United States and Europe have shown celiac disease occurring in about 1 in every 100 to 300 people.1 The Canadian Celiac Association estimates 1 in 133 Canadians may have celiac disease.2
Celiac disease is known to occur:
- More often in whites than in people of other races.3
- Rarely in blacks, Japanese, and Chinese.
- At the same rate in male and female children. In adults, the disease may be somewhat more common in females than males, but so far research is inconclusive.
- More often in first-degree relatives (such as brothers, sisters, parents, sons, and daughters) of people who have the disease.
| Author: | Amy Fackler, MA Debby Golonka, MPH Carrie Henley | Last Updated: August 23, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Tom Bailey, MD - Family Medicine Jerry S. Trier, MD - Gastroenterology | |
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