New moms with a family history of celiac disease might want to consider going with gluten-free baby food. New research finds consumption of gluten up until 2 years of age doubles a child’s risk of developing celiac disease if they are genetically predisposed to the condition.



The findings, published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, are based on a case-control study that compared 2,525 children with genetic susceptibility to celiac disease to a similar number of non-sufferers in Sweden, between 2004 to February 2010.



Gluten intake was calculated from dietary records collected when the children were nine, 12, 18 and 24 months old.



"The role of gluten intake in infants and the risk of later developing celiac disease has long been debated," said lead researcher Carin Andrén Aronsson, from Lund University, Sweden.



"Our study provides convincing evidence that the amount of gluten ingested at an early age plays a role in disease course, particularly in children with genetic risk of developing celiac disease."



Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder affecting that affects up to 3 percent of the general population. People with the disorder, which causes the immune system to interfere with the proper function of the small intestine, must refrain from wheat and other products containing the protein gluten.





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