Coeliac New Zealand calls for testing

Coeliac New Zealand calls for testing as thousands remain unaware

Coeliac Awareness Week 18 – 24 May

With an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 Kiwis living with coeliac disease and approximately 80 per cent of those unaware that they have the condition, Coeliac New Zealand is encouraging Kiwis to get themselves and their families tested this Coeliac Awareness Week 18 – 24 May.

According to Coeliac New Zealand family members of people with coeliac disease have an elevated risk of testing positive for the disease as the condition is genetic. The genetic link puts family members first in line for coeliac disease as someone living with the condition may have family members who may be at risk.

The condition is a permanent, autoimmune disorder caused by an intolerance or reaction to gluten – found in wheat, barley, oats and rye. It causes the body to produce antibodies which damage the lining of the small bowel and make it impossible for the body to absorb certain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from food. If left undiagnosed it can lead to long-term chronic ill-health.

Coeliac New Zealand’s Coeliac Awareness Week kicks off on 18 May this year with the aim of increasing understanding of the disease among New Zealanders and the medical fraternity and encouraging Kiwis to get themselves and their families tested.

Coeliac New Zealand Acting President Pip McKay says that the organisation has a simple message this year, ‘Test, Treat, Eat’.

McKay says: “Coeliac disease is genetic so if you have the condition other family members may be at risk. Visit your GP and ask for a simple test for coeliac disease. This simple test will be the first step to improved health for you and your family.”

“We still have such a long way to go in terms of awareness in New Zealand and globally. So many new cases of coeliac disease go unnoticed each year. There are thousands of New Zealanders affected and approximately 80 per cent of them don’t know they have the condition,” says McKay.

Research from around the world shows that coeliac disease is becoming increasingly common due to better testing for the disease.

Professor Andrew Day, Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Otago University says: Coeliac disease is an increasingly important condition for New Zealanders and coeliac disease occurs in people who have a particular genetic profile.

He says cereals in our diet can, in the right circumstances, set up a focused immune reaction in the surface of the small bowel. This leads to dramatic changes in the structure of the bowel, which in turns interferes with how the bowel works.

“Although some people have many symptoms with coeliac disease including stomach pain, loose bowel motions, or weight loss, other people may have subtle symptoms such as tiredness, low iron levels, mouth ulcers or infertility and some people may not have any recognisable symptoms at all.”

“Health professionals need to be more aware of the wide variation in how coeliac disease can manifest and to have a low threshold to do initial tests to check for possible coeliac disease”, he says.

“The initial tests to look for coeliac disease are blood tests, these are widely available around New Zealand and the results usually come back within a few days.”

International Cricketer Nicola Browne says as an elite athlete most days you are pushing your body to the extremes.

“I did have several issues in the year leading up to being diagnosed with coeliac disease, including fatigue, lack of motivation and other sicknesses.”

She says after retiring from International Cricket the symptoms were too much to train at the level required. It was when she visited her doctor that she realised that she could be diagnosed.

“I thought I had lost my passion for the sport. I went to the doctor to check myself out and got a range of blood tests, including one for coeliac disease, which came back highly positive.

“I do not get IBS often like most, but have been told I am a high reactor, meaning that if I do ingest gluten the effects on my intestines can be quite severe, which would lead to more damaging effects in the long term.

“Once I started on a gluten free diet it was like life had rushed back into my body. Before, I had no idea about this disease, but being able to get a diagnosis has had a positive impact on my life. It makes me passionate about sharing my story in the hope others may find a solution. We all deserve to be at our optimum health.”

ENDS

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