Gluten: new standards for children’s nutrition

Naturally present in wheat, barley or even rye, gluten is also an ingredient added to many industrial preparations. In bread, cookies, pasta, and even in some medicines, this protein is everywhere.

For people with celiac disease – a lifelong gluten intolerance – shopping and eating quickly becomes hell. They have no choice but to adopt a gluten-free diet.
For parents of children predisposed to this autoimmune disease, food diversification is a headache. When can they introduce gluten into their child’s diet?

According to the latest recommendations published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, it can be introduced between the 4^th and the 12^th month of the child. They also indicate that breastfeeding during its introduction does not decrease the risk of developing celiac disease.

These new recommendations modify those issued in 2008. The latter advised parents to introduce foods containing gluten between the ages of 4 and 7 months. Studies have shown that the risk of celiac disease is multiplied by 4 if the introduction of gluten takes place after the age of 7 months. Breastfeeding was also presented as a protector.

Recommendations for all children

However, since then, controlled and randomized trials have shown that the age of dietary diversification does not affect the risk of celiac disease. “These results therefore suggest that a primary prevention of this autoimmune pathology, through nutritional programs, is not currently possible”, notes Professor Hania Szajewska from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Warsaw (Poland) and responsible for new recommendations.

The authors point out that these studies were carried out in children genetically predisposed to this disease. However, this information is rarely known when solid foods are introduced into children’s diets. These recommendations are therefore applicable to all children whether or not they are predisposed to gluten intolerance.

Prevention of celiac disease: New European standards on the #gluten https://t.co/MGDWMIEMsk #health pic.twitter.com/cS0jEn6Tlr

– Pourquoidocteur (@Pourquoidocteur) January 20, 2016