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BACKGROUND: Food habits, nutrient needs and intakes differ between males and females, although few nutritional studies on patients with coeliac disease (CD) have reported results stratified by gender.

OBJECTIVES: To compare energy and nutrient intakes among 13-year olds diagnosed with CD in early childhood with those of a non-coeliac (NC) age- and gender-matched control group, and also with estimated average requirements (EAR).

METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in Sweden 2006-2007 within the coeliac screening study ETICS (Exploring The Iceberg of Coeliacs in Sweden). Dietary intake was assessed among 37 adolescents (23 girls) diagnosed with CD at median age 1.7 years (CD group) and 805 (430 girls) NC controls (NC group) using a food-frequency questionnaire covering 4 weeks. Reported energy intake was validated by comparison with the calculated physical activity level (PAL).

RESULTS: Regardless of CD status, most adolescents reported an intake above EAR for most nutrients. However, both groups had a low intake of vitamin C, with 13% in the CD-group and 25% in the NC-group below EAR, and 21% of boys in the CD-group below EAR for thiamine. The intake of fatty acids was unbalanced, with a high intake of saturated and a low intake of unsaturated fats. Girls and boys in the CD-group had an overall lower nutrient density in reported food intake compared to girls and boys in the NC-group.

CONCLUSIONS: Nutrient intake of adolescent girls and boys with CD was mostly comparable to intakes of NC controls. Dietitians should take the opportunity to reinforce a generally healthy diet when providing information about the gluten-free diet.

A dietary survey was performed during a large screening study in Sweden among 13-year-old adolescents. The aim was to study how the intake of food groups was affected by a screening-detected diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) and its gluten-free (GF) treatment. Food intake, was reported using a food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and intake reported by the adolescents who was screened to CD was compared with the intake of two same-aged referent groups: i) adolescents diagnosed to CD prior screening and ii) adolescents without CD.. The food intake groups were measured at baseline before the screening-detected cases were aware of their CD, and 12-18 months later.

The result showed that the food intakes are affected by a screen detected CD and its dietary treatment. Many flour-based foods were reduced such as pizza, fish fingers, and pastries. The result also indicated that the bread intake was lower before the screened diagnosis compared to the other studied groups, but increased afterwards. Specially manufactured GF-products (e.g. pasta and bread) were frequently used in the screened CDgroup after changing to a GF-diet. Our results suggest that changing to a GF-diet reduces the intake of some popular foods, and the ingredients on the plate are altered, but this do not necessarily include a change of food groups. The availability of manufactured GF-replacement products makes it possible for adolescents to keep many of their old food habits when diagnosed with CD in Sweden.

Women with celiac disease are in the literature described as feeling exposed to negative emotions and experiences related to the treatment of celiac disease - the gluten-free diet. In order to explore the daily experiences of being diagnosed to celiac disease we interviewed seven Swedish young women diagnosed to celiac disease by screening in early adolescence. The semi structured interviews were analysed inductively by using content analysis. The analysis showed that the young women continued to strive with their treatment and their relations toward others, even years after diagnosis. The young women found themselves in an environment where their strict adherence to the dietary treatment was an obstacle and could prevent the feeling of connectedness. We argue that the emphasized/normative femininity that these young women relate to complicates their daily life diagnosed with celiac disease.

Men diagnosed with celiac disease are in earlier scientific studies known to be less troubled by their experiences of living with disease than women with celiac disease. Previous studies, concentrating on men with celiac disease have been mostly quantitative, and the studies has dealt with physiology and pathology. The aim of this study was to give voice to young men with screening-detected celiac disease and to highlight the situations that they encounter in their daily lives five years after the screening. Seven Swedish young men were interviewed. They had been diagnosed with celiac disease as 12-13 years-olds through a large Swedish school based celiac screening-study. The semi-structured interviews were analyzed from a gender perspective using content analysis. The findings resulted in a main theme, conquering the disease and becoming a man, which was underpinned by several themes and sub-themes. The analysis showed that the young men’s experiences of living with celiac disease in their daily life, largely depended on their use of characteristics known to be in accordance with dominating masculinity; such as being self-assured, demanding, and behaving authoritative. In food situations, when the young men had the ability to make use of such characteristics in their informal group, they experienced much less negative aspects of the disease. If the young men did not have a position in their informal group where they could develop those features, their situation was expressed as being tough, they were bullied and withdrew from social meals. It seemed important for the young men to dissociate themselves from being seen as a person who had a life-long chronic disease.