Eating pathology in adolescents with celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD), treated by a gluten-free diet, may represent a nonspecific trigger for the development of eating pathology, particularly in adolescence.

The authors sought to perform a systematic study on eating pathology in CD.

CD patients were assessed for eating disorders by questionnaire, and body mass index was recorded.

There was a higher rate of eating pathology in CD patients than would be expected, especially, a higher rate of bulimia nervosa. This subgroup reported more noncompliance with the gluten-free diet and had higher scores on most eating-related questionnaires. In most cases, diagnosis of CD preceded the onset of eating pathology.

The authors recommend asking early-adolescent CD patients whether they are also dieting for aesthetic reasons.