Risk for celiac disease increases with age

Celiac disease, which damages the lining of the gut and is triggered by eating food containing gluten, occurs more often as adults age, according to a study suggesting that environmental influences may be involved.

Cases doubled in a sample of 3,511 patients followed from 1974 to 1989, according to proteins measured in blood samples. This provides evidence that the condition doesn't start in childhood, as doctors once thought it did, researchers said yesterday in the Annals of Medicine.

The results may begin to explain why celiac disease has increased fivefold in the United States in the last 30 years, the authors wrote.

The condition is triggered when people ingest wheat or other foods containing gluten. The immune system attacks part of the small intestine, causing bloating, diarrhea, vomiting and constipation. - Bloomberg News