There is a link between the diet at the time of weaning infants and the risk of becoming gluten intolerant. A varied diet low in refined grains would reduce this risk.
Gluten intolerance actually affects 1% of the population in France. A figure that may seem low given the number of followers of the “gluten-free” diet. Some people may have a sensitivity to gluten, which makes it difficult to digest, but intolerance, also known as celiac disease, affects only a small part of the population.
Dutch researchers conducted a study on the link between the diet of infants at the time of weaning and gluten intolerance. Certain types of diet reduce the risk of developing celiac disease. The results are published in the journal Gastroenterology.
Celiac disease and diet
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease. It is linked to an autoimmune reaction when the digestive tract is exposed to gluten. The intestinal immune system is particularly rich, and when the intestine is exposed to this protein on a regular basis, an inflammatory reaction develops in the wall of the small intestine. This can damage the intestinal lining, which will prevent proper digestion of food. To treat it, it is then necessary to completely eliminate gluten from the diet, a complicated diet to follow in everyday life.
Many studies have investigated the possible associations between diet and the development of celiac disease in childhood, but few studies have looked at the diets of infants after the period of weaning when it comes to ‘a critical time for the infant’s gut and immune system. It is, in fact, during weaning that the infant’s intestinal immune system is confronted with a host of antigens.
The benefits of a diet low in refined grains
For this research, scientists from Erasmus University Rotterdam used data from 1997 children born between 2002 and 2006 in the Netherlands. Their diet at the age of one was analyzed. Then the presence of possible celiac disease was determined at the age of six. For the researchers, the results show the existence of a link between the diet implemented during weaning of the infant and gluten intolerance.
Children who ate a diet high in vegetables, vegetable oils, grains, and pasta but who ate few refined grains and sugary drinks were less likely to be gluten intolerant by age six.
Conversely, children who consumed more processed products and sugary snacks were more likely to have celiac disease. The situation was the same for children who ate a lot of meat, dairy products and grains. A healthy and varied diet would then reduce the risk of intolerance.
A precise calendar of food diversification
Based on the data of epidemiological studies carried out, the Nutrition Committee of the European Society of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Pediatric Nutrition (ESPGHAN) recommends avoiding the introduction of gluten before the age of 4 months and after the age 7 months.
The ideal period would therefore be between 4 and 6 months of life, gluten should be introduced in small quantities, gradually, while maintaining breastfeeding whenever possible. The choice of this “window” is related to the possibility that this dietary intervention will take place when the immune system is mature and during which breastfeeding could have a protective effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa and trigger reactions. autoimmune.
In view of recent data, the current recommendations are clear: the ideal period to introduce gluten seems to be ideally between 4 and 6 months of life.
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