<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

> Martin Finne points out that Italy has a high rate of celiac - and wheat
> is an important part of Italian cuisine.
> take a closer look at this

Estimating the incidence of coeliac disease with capture-recapture
methods within four geographic areas in Italy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=8935462&form=6&db
=m&Dopt=b

the incidence found is:

Piedmont Region  (north)       143/1000
Lombardia Region (north)       141/1000
Umbria Region    (central)     72/1000
Sardinia Region  (south)       80/1000

that is, the incidence was found to be roughly twice as great in the
North. now, I think most people are aware that there are different ethnic
mixes in Italy north to south; the Northern peoples are more Celtic, while
the Southern are more Middle Eastern.  and, wheat and barley are very old
crops originating only in the Middle East, and spreading out from there.

got the picture?