Obesity in a child with untreated coeliac disease

This is the first report of obesity in an untreated coeliac patient diagnosed at the age of 5.1 years according to the criteria of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology. Diagnosis of coeliac disease was suspected on the basis of recurrent episodes of abdominal pain and of family history. Gluten-free diet induced evident acceleration of both length and weight velocity and increase of weight excess, apart from resolution of the abdominal symptoms. The present case report demonstrates that obesity in a child does not exclude the diagnosis of coeliac disease.