Coeliac Awareness week is an occasion to be aware of the impact of coeliac disease on families

THE risk of coeliac disease increases from one in every 100 people to one in 10, when a first-degree relative has the disease. That’s according to the Coeliac Society of Ireland, which recently launched its annual Awareness Week.

Coeliac Awareness Week 2018, which is supported by Ireland’s leading grocery retailer SuperValu, is an occasion to be aware of the impact of coeliac disease on families, and in particular, children. A number of events will be taking place during Awareness Week, including a series of in-store events at SuperValu stores around Ireland, featuring dietetic talks, advice from the Coeliac Society of Ireland and gluten free food samplings.

“Coeliac Awareness Week provides us with an important opportunity to highlight the seriousness of the disease. It’s not a fad or a lifestyle choice, it is a serious, lifelong condition. If undiagnosed, people with coeliac disease could develop osteoporosis, anaemia, nerve damage and it can have negative impacts on fertility,” said Mary Twohig, Chairperson of the Coeliac Society of Ireland.

“If people are suffering with symptoms we want them to be aware that if a first-degree relative has coeliac disease, their own chances of having the disease are increased to one in ten. It’s also important to note that some people with the disease experience no symptoms but internal damage is still taking place. We advise anyone with a first blood relative diagnosed as coeliac to discuss testing with their GP.”

Officially launching Coeliac Awareness Week 2018 was Minister of State for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne TD, who said: “I am delighted to officially launch Coeliac Awareness Week 2018.

“With approximately 47,500 people in Ireland affected by coeliac disease, it’s hugely important that the medical risks of the disease are highlighted. The Coeliac Society of Ireland’s annual Awareness Week is an important event in the calendar for not only those with the disease, but the general public as a whole – we can all do our bit to make sure we’re familiar with the seriousness of the disease, and find out how we can help those with it live life to the full.”

Also at the launch was Paddy Curran, SuperValu’s Health & Wellness Manager. “At SuperValu, we are committed to ensuring we provide a range of products that provide quality, choice and value to meet our Coeliac shoppers needs. Our focus is to provide the same food experience for our Coeliac customers as we do for all our shoppers.

“We’re excited about our new ranges available in store. We are delighted to be sponsoring Coeliac Week again this year, providing our support in helping raise awareness of coeliac disease and being able to demonstrate that there are hundreds of gluten free products available to the Coeliac community in our stores – peoples’ lifestyle and eating habits do not need to be restricted.”

Coeliac Awareness Week provides us with an important opportunity to highlight the seriousness of the disease.