False beliefs and fake news
“The gluten-free diet makes you lose weight, and even those who are not celiac can follow it to benefit from it”; “Celiac disease is an allergy to wheat and it is a temporary condition”; “a person can be more or less celiac, so occasionally they can transgress the gluten-free diet”: are just some of the false myths still widespread about celiac disease – chronic disease affecting the mucous membrane of the small intestine – and the gluten-free diet. To debunk them, the Italian Celiac Association (Aic) aims to disseminate correct information, which organizes a series of initiatives on the occasion of World Celiac Day which occurs on 16 May and during the national week, until 21 May. Says the president of Aic, Rossella Valmarana: “We intend to raise awareness of celiac disease since there are still too many false myths and fake news that lead to underestimating a severe disease and still greatly underestimated which affects a very large number of people.
According to the data (relating to 2021) of the Annual Report presented by the Ministry of Health to Parliament, this condition affects over 24o thousand Italians, mainly women, but it is estimated that there are around 600,000 people with celiac disease of which almost 60 percent have not yet received the diagnosis.
What is celiac disease and what are the symptoms
Celiac disease is one chronic disease of an autoimmune type triggered by the ingestion, in genetically predisposed people, of gluten, present in some cereals such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, spelt, kamut wheat (here prohibited foods to celiacs). Among the most popular foods that contain these cereals are: bread, pizza, pasta, biscuits.
They stand out four forms of celiac disease:
– classic (or typical), That occurs during the first 3 years of lifeafter a latency of months after the introduction of gluten-containing cereals at weaning;
– non-classical (or atypical)often observed in children older than 3 years e characterized by nonspecific intestinal symptoms (for example: recurrent abdominal pain, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, constipation) and/or extra-intestinal manifestations;
– silently, Therefore without clear symptomswhich is occasionally identified following serological screening in subjects at risk (for example: first-degree relatives of celiac people or patients suffering from other autoimmune pathologies);
– potentialin the presence of a intestinal histological picture normal or only slightly altered; patients with potential celiac disease may or may not have clinical symptoms.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of celiac disease is carried out with blood analysis of specific antibodies and biopsy of the small intestine; diagnostic tests must be performed during a diet that includes gluten.
‘World Day is an opportunity to remember the importance of early diagnosis, fFundamental form of prevention of complications, even very serious ones, which a late diagnosis can bring – underlines the president of Aic, Rossella Valmarana -. Today there is one valuable tool: the 2023 Budget Law provides for an economic investment for one screening that identifies children and young people at risk of developing celiac disease or type 1 diabetes and that will be able to help bring out the hidden iceberg of celiac disease».
Therapy (gluten-free diet)
L’scientifically valid treatment for people with celiac disease it is a strait rgluten-free diet, that is, a diet with naturally gluten-free food and drink and specially produced gluten-free food and drink. The foods and drinks that celiacs can consume are divided into four large groups:
– group 1 to which unprocessed foods and beverages which by nature do not contain gluten belong;
– group 2i.e. processed foods and beverages which by nature, composition and production process do not require the use of ingredients containing gluten;
– group 3meaning processed foods and beverages that are made with naturally gluten-free ingredients;
– group 4 i.e. processed foods and beverages which traditionally include the use of ingredients containing gluten in their composition but which have been specifically produced, prepared and/or processed with naturally gluten-free ingredients or with gluten-free ingredients.
Gluten-free food at the expense of the Health Service
People with celiac disease must follow gluten-free therapy for life. For this, the National Health Service contributes to the purchase of gluten-free products (through material or digital vouchers) and guarantees those who suffer from it the right to take advantage of gluten-free meals in the canteens.
Gluten-free foods available free of charge are those classifiable as “specifically formulated for celiacs” or “specifically formulated for people intolerant to gluten” and belonging to the following categories:
– bread and similar, savory baked goods;
– pasta and similar; pizza and similar; ready meals based on pasta;
– mixes and ready bases for cakes, bread, pasta, pizza and similar;
– baked goods and other confectionery products;
– breakfast cereals.
These are mainly staple foods source of carbohydrates and made from gluten-free cereals That in the daily diet they replace the corresponding foods traditionally characterized by the presence of cereal sources of gluten.