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Eating Wheat Can Double Risk of Death

Celiac disease, a form of wheat allergy, doubles your risk of death. The
risks are particularly severe if you are diagnosed late in the disease or do
not adhere to a strict diet free of gluten, a protein found in wheat and
other grains.

Celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue or 'gluten intolerance' is a
genetic disorder that causes bowel disorders, diarrhea or weight loss because
of an insensitivity to gluten. It affects approximately one in 30 people.
Patients often develop cancers of the intestines, which is thought to lead to
a higher death rate.

Among 1,072 patients diagnosed with celiac disease in Italy from 1962 to
1994, researchers found 53 deaths, compared with an expected 26 deaths in the
general population. The leading cause of death was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Relatives of patients with celiac disease did not have a higher than average
risk of death, nor did patients who lived three years following diagnosis.

According to the authors, "Prompt and strict dietary treatment decreases
mortality in celiac patients."

The Lancet, August 4, 2001; 358: 356-361