Eating pathology in adolescents with celiac disease.

Background: Celiac disease (CD), treated by a gluten-free diet, may represent a nonspecific trigger for the development of eating pathology, particularly in adolescence.

Objective: The authors sought to perform a systematic study on eating pathology in CD.

Method: CD patients were assessed for eating disorders by questionnaire, and body mass index was recorded.

Results: There was a higher rate of eating pathology in CD patients than would be expected, especially, a higher rate of bulimia nervosa. This subgroup reported more noncompliance with the gluten-free diet and had higher scores on most eating-related questionnaires. In most cases, diagnosis of CD preceded the onset of eating pathology.

Conclusion: The authors recommend asking early-adolescent CD patients whether they are also dieting for aesthetic reasons.