Although coeliac disease affects approximately one in 100 people in the UK, just 36% of people with the condition are diagnosed. As a result, knowing what symptoms to look out for is vital
Olympian Rebecca Adlington has been supported by fans after opening up about her life-changing health condition. The 36-year-old recently revealed she’d been diagnosed with coeliac disease, a condition that affects around one in 100 people in the UK.
Despite being estimated to affect 1% of the population, just 36% of people living with the autoimmune disease, which is caused by a reaction to gluten, are clinically diagnosed. However, when people with coeliac disease eat gluten it can lead to complications such as nutritional deficiencies and osteoporosis, meaning it’s vital that people are aware of the symptoms.
In a previous interview with The Mirror, Emma McKay discussed her experience of being diagnosed. Now 26, Emma was a teen when she received her diagnosis, though revealed that she’d been “ill for a few years” prior to receiving an answer after experiencing two main symptoms.
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“I found out I was coeliac ten years ago, during my fifth year of secondary school. I had been ill for a few years. Every time I went to the doctor, I was told it was stress likely caused by pressure from school and exams. Yet I was losing weight rapidly and was unable to stand without passing out,” she said.
“My mum eventually came with me to an appointment. The doctor did some blood tests for Crohn’s and coeliac disease. The results showed coeliac antibodies, and an endoscopy confirmed I didn’t have any villi which are tiny hair-like projections that are responsible for absorbing nutrients – and that made me very ill.”
Emma’s diagnosis subsequently forced her to make a dramatic change to her lifestyle by switching to a stringent gluten-free diet. However, making the adjustments wasn’t an entirely easy process. “It was traumatic being diagnosed at 16, especially at such a pivotal time in life. I wasn’t well enough to enjoy things other teenagers were doing,” she explained.
“The only treatment available was a gluten free diet, which completely turned my world upside down. Silly things like seeing my family enjoy ‘normal’ food like biscuits and cakes was really frustrating as I began to navigate my new norm.” Cross contamination is a really important issue for those living with coeliac disease. Emma found herself becoming ill after some people around her didn’t take her needs seriously.
“When I went to university, I lived in halls with new people and didn’t initially take my diagnosis seriously. I felt isolated, and I kept eating gluten, which made me extremely ill. A few months in I realised the severity of the consequences and began being super strict with my diet,” she said.
In 2017, Emma set up a food blog, The Student Coeliac, to document her journey and connect with others. Her blog quickly amassed thousands of followers and led to her securing an internship at Genius (geniusfood.com), a gluten-free bakery based in Edinburgh, where she is now an Assistant Brand Manager.
The NHS states that coeliac disease is a condition where the immune system attacks tissue if you consume gluten, damaging your small intestine so your body isn’t able to properly take in nutrients. The most common and perhaps well known symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea, stomach pain and tiredness.
“Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition, where something triggers in your body to mount an immune response against itself. In the case of coeliac disease, gluten is the trigger. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye,” Dr Alasdair Scott, a gut health specialist at Selph says.
“Coeliac disease can affect you at any age, although the most common age to be diagnosed is between your 30s and 50s. It affects both sexes, but women are more likely to be diagnosed with coeliac disease than men. You’re also more likely to have coeliac disease if someone else in your family has it.”
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