A study from Lund University shows that eating more fiber-rich food during a child's first year of life can reduce the risk of developing celiac disease/gluten intolerance.
Elin Hård af Segerstad and her colleagues have followed 6,500 children with a genetic risk of developing celiac disease from birth to age 13. Using blood samples from the child, they have seen whether specific antibodies for celiac disease have developed, which is a marker for the onset of the disease.
The observational study shows that if the child ate just over three grams more dietary fiber compared to the average intake, the risk of celiac disease later in childhood decreased by almost 40%.
The theory behind the effect, the researchers believe, is that the intestinal flora of the child is favorably affected by dietary fiber. This in turn can lead to a better immune system and a stronger gut.
In order to be able to recommend more fiber-rich food to really young children in the future, the next step is a clinical trial.
Facts about celiac disease: Celiac disease is partly hereditary and is more common in girls. After adjusting for other factors, the researchers found that the incidence of celiac disease decreased by almost 40% in the 6-12 month old children who ate a more fiber-rich diet. This compared to just over 7% of children who developed celiac disease.
What is dietary fiber? Dietary fiber is a complex group of carbohydrates that are neither broken down nor absorbed in the small intestine. Instead, they act as substrates for bacteria and create barriers in the mucosa, interacting with the immune system and creating diversity in the gut microflora.
Dietary fiber is found in naturally high-fiber foods such as vegetables, whole-grain cereal products, fruits and berries, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Recommendation NNR 2023:
- Children: An intake equivalent to 2-3 g/MJ for children from 2 years of age, which corresponds to 9-13 g/day.
- Adults: At least 3 g/MJ, which roughly corresponds to 25 g/day for women and 35 g/day for men.