Effects of Gluten-Free Diet on Nutritional Status and Some Inflammation Parameters in Adult Celiac Disease Patients

Abstract

Objectives: Celiac disease is a lifelong autoimmune disorder in which strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is the cornerstone of treatment. However, many patients follow the gluten-free diet incorrectly due to limited nutrition education, which may affect nutritional adequacy, inflammation, and quality of life. This study aims to examine the effect of a gluten-free diet on nutritional status, anthropometric measurements, and serum interferon-gamma and interleukin-15 levels in adult celiac patients Materials and Methods: Twenty-one adult female celiac patients and 20 healthy controls were included. All celiac patients received a structured, individualized gluten-free diet education session at baseline. Nutritional intake, anthropometric measurements, cytokine levels, and quality of life were assessed at baseline and after six weeks. Comparisons were made between baseline and week 6 within the celiac group, and between the celiac and control groups. Results: Interleukin-15 levels showed no significant differences, while interferon-gamma levels were higher in celiac patients but decreased after six weeks. Adherence to a gluten-free diet improved significantly at the 6th week. At baseline in the celiac group, protein (g/kg), fiber, thiamin, niacin, and iron intakes were significantly lower. In the 6th week, the levels of nutrient intakes except thiamin reached similar levels between the groups. The quality-of-life scores of celiac patients also increased significantly. Conclusion: Gluten-free diet education positively impacts nutritional status, diet adherence, and quality of life in celiac patients.

Keywords

• Celiac
• Nutritional status
• Gluten-free diet
• Inflammation
• Quality of life

Supporting Institution

The authors report no funding.

Ethical Statement

This study was conducted according to the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki, and all procedures involving human subjects were approved by the Hacettepe University Non-Invasive Clinical Research Ethics Committee with the identification number of 18/760-28. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. The reporting of this work is compliant with STROBE guidelines.

Thanks

We thank all the patients who participated in this study. O.A. acknowledges support from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), BIDEB 2210/A National Master’s Degree Scholarship Program.

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