The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center has an excellent website with extensive information. For an overview about celiac disease, watch their great ten minute video. There is information about symptoms, treatment, and the gluten free diet. The fact sheets are a wonderful resource on a variety of topics, including genetic screening. An interesting fact sheet is called “facts and figures”. Here are some of the statistics.
• Celiac disease affects at least 3 million Americans.
• The average length of time it takes for a symptomatic person to be diagnosed with celiac disease in the US is four years; this type of delay dramatically increases an individual’s risk of developing autoimmune disorders, neurological problems, osteoporosis and even cancer.• The number of people with celiac disease in the U.S. would fill 4,400 Boeing 747 airplanes.
• It would take 936 cruise ships to hold every American with celiac disease.
• Americans with celiac disease could fill Comiskey Park (now US Cellular Field, with 40,000 seats) to watch the Chicago White Sox 55 times.
• U.S. fans with celiac disease could fill Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears, 37 times.
• The number of people with celiac disease in the U.S. is roughly equal to the number of people living in the state of Nevada."
The University of Chicago sends a gluten free care package to people newly diagnosed with celiac. Call (773) 702-7593 to request this gluten free basket which contains food samples and a gluten free food guide. This basket is shown in their video.
Comments