HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bardella, M. T. Articles by Bianchi, P. A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bardella, M. T. Articles by Bianchi, P. A Agricola Articles by Bardella, M. T. Articles by Bianchi, P. A

Body composition and dietary intakes in adult celiac disease patients consuming a strict gluten-free diet^1,2,3

¹ From the Cattedra di Gastroenterologia, Istituto di Scienze Mediche, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore and Clinica Pediatrica II, Università degli Studi, Milan, Italy.

Background: Celiac disease responds to dietary gluten withdrawal, but data on the long-term effects of gluten-free diets are discordant.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the nutritional status and body composition of adult celiac disease patients consuming a gluten-free diet who were in clinical, biochemical, and histologic remission.

Design: We studied 71 patients (51 women and 20 men; mean age: 27 y; range: 17–58 y) and 142 healthy control subjects matched by sex and age. The subjects' height, weight, body mass index, fat and lean mass, and bone mineral content (evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were measured; a 3-d dietary questionnaire was administered; and total daily energy, fat, carbohydrate, and protein intakes were calculated.

Results: The weight, height, and body mass index of male celiac disease patients and the weight and body mass index of female celiac disease patients were significantly lower than the corresponding measurements in control subjects. The fat and lean mass of both male and female patients was significantly different from that of control subjects; however, bone mineral content was significantly lower only in females in whom celiac disease was diagnosed in adulthood. Total energy intake was lower in the patients than in the control subjects (9686 ± 1569 and 11297 ± 1318 kJ/d in males and 6736 ± 1318 and 7740 ± 1715 kJ/d in females), and the diet of the patients was unbalanced, with a higher percentage of energy as fat and a lower percentage of energy as carbohydrates.

Conclusions: Although strictly compliant with their gluten-free diet and in complete remission, patients with celiac disease showed differences in body composition and dietary intakes compared with control subjects. Strict follow-up and dietary advice in terms of the choice and composition of foods seem necessary to prevent malnutrition.

Key Words: Celiac disease • nutritional status • body composition • gluten-free diet

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J F Ludvigsson, U de Faire, A Ekbom, and S M Montgomery Vascular disease in a population-based cohort of individuals hospitalised with coeliac disease Heart, September 1, 2007; 93(9): 1111 - 1115. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Bianchi and M. T. Bardella Celiac Disease: Its Effects on Bone IBMS BoneKEy, May 1, 2006; 3(5): 30 - 38. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. See and J. A. Murray Gluten-Free Diet: The Medical and Nutrition Management of Celiac Disease Nutr Clin Pract, February 1, 2006; 21(1): 1 - 15. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]