Celiac disease is a serious and increasingly common autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive process within the small intestine. While genetic predisposition is an important factor in developing celiac disease, there are also environmental factors that can increase your risk for this condition—some of which you may not be aware of. In this blog, we’ll discuss five of these additional risk factors for developing celiac disease.
Family History
If you have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) with celiac disease, your risk of developing the condition is between 4 and 15 percent.
Genes
Another risk factor that increases your risk for celiac disease is having one or both of the (HLA) DQ2 and DQ8 genes. These genes are found in both people with and without celiac disease, so the presence of them alone does not mean you will develop the condition. However, if other risk factors are present, your chance of developing celiac disease increases significantly.
Age
Celiac disease can occur at any age, but it is more commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 50. Additionally, people who are diagnosed with celiac later in life may have had the condition for 10 to 20 years before being accurately diagnosed.
Gender
Women are more likely to develop celiac disease than men, with estimates of the gender gap ranging from 1.2 to 3 times higher in women than men. This difference is believed to be partly due to differences in immune system functioning between genders. Additionally, other factors may play a role, such as hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and menopause.
Autoimmune Diseases and Conditions
People who have conditions such as Type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, and irritable bowel disease are more likely to develop celiac disease than the general population.
It is important to be aware of the factors that may increase your risk for celiac disease so that you can take proper preventive measures and detect the condition early on. In any case, if you are experiencing any of the early warning signs associated with the condition, it is best to seek professional advice from your healthcare provider.
