A study carried out by Massachusetts General Hospital points fingers at birth month for celiac disease. The study claims that children born in spring and summer season are at more risk of contracting the disease.
Celiac is a disease that causes digestive problems in the small intestine when gluten - a common protein found in wheat, barley and rye - is consumed. Here the villi (tiny, finger-like projections protruding from the gut wall) in the small intestine gets affected, hence it leads to lower levels of absorption of nutrients. It can cause host of problems including abdominal pain and nerve damage.
The researchers analyzed data on 382 children diagnosed with celiac disease, from 11 months to 19 years. They found that in the younger group of below 15 years, 57 percent of the participants were born in the light season of March to August when compared to 43 percent who were born in the dark season of September to February.
The researchers admit that the exact cause of celiac disease is a mystery but they think that the timing of gluten introduction in infants could be a possible trigger. The study results claim that birth season is another potential factor for the disease.
"If you're born in the spring or the summer, it might not be appropriate to introduce gluten at the same point as someone born in the fall or winter. Although we need to further develop and test our hypothesis, we think it provides a helpful clue for ongoing efforts to prevent celiac disease," said the lead researcher, Dr. Pornthep Tanpowpong.
He also added that the age of introduction of gluten in children needs to be changed. The study further stated that since vitamin D deficiency is associated with disease, exposure to sunlight may be considered as another factor.
