What Came First, Celiac or Type 1 Diabetes?

There is a well-established link between type 1 diabetes and celiac disease that was first discovered over 60 years ago. The estimated prevalence of celiac disease in patients with type 1 diabetes is approximately 8%, compared to about 1% in the general population. Due to the significantly higher prevalence of celiac disease in diabetes’ patients, many physicians recommend getting screened for celiac disease after a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, and vice versa. But once diagnosed, how does a family with a child with a dual diagnosis of celiac disease and type 1 diabetes manage the dietary considerations of both conditions? Does going on a strict gluten-free diet help with managing diabetes? How do these patients manage their nutritional needs when eating outside of the home like at school or in a restaurant? We’ll discuss this and more on today’s episode of Raising Celiac. The Raising Celiac Podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Global Autoimmune Institute. References: - Cohn A, Sofia AM, Kupfer SS. Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease: clinical overlap and new insights into disease pathogenesis. Curr Diab Rep. 2014 Aug;14(8):517. doi: 10.1007/s11892-014-0517-x. PMID: 24952108; PMCID: PMC4156157. - Bakker SF, Pouwer F, Tushuizen ME, Hoogma RP, Mulder CJ, et al. Compromised quality of life in patients with both Type 1 diabetes mellitus and coeliac disease. Diabet Med. 2013;30:835–839.