In 2023 there were 4,410 people suffering from celiac disease in Umbria (3,072 are women while 1,338 are men). Of these, 65 are under 5 years old, 159 between 6 and 9 years old, 262 between 10 and 13 years old, 288 between 14 and 17 years old, 3,005 between 18 and 59 years old, 631 are over 60 years old. In 2022 there were 4,175 celiacs in Umbria, in 2021 3,996, in 2020 3,821, in 2019 3,707. Numbers that speak clearly. At least a hundred new cases of celiac disease are recorded every year. It is a recent pathology that still needs to be known and needs to be studied in depth.
This is also why the Aic (Italian celiac disease association) Umbria tries to promote moments of reflection on this topic. The last chance was on Sunday 19 May at the Chocohotel in Perugia, when on the sidelines of the ordinary meeting the importance of follow-ups, screening and news for people with celiac disease was discussed.
In the first part of the morning, in fact, there was the approval of the Aic Umbria 2023 budget and the assessment of the situation on the association’s activity. From 11am to 1pm, however, the scientific committee of Aic Umbria intervened. After the introduction, by Professor Giuseppe Castellucci, we will talk about the importance of Follow up (Dr. Rita Cozzali), of Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease screening (Dr. Giulia Berioli and Rita Cozzali), of the cohort studies and alternative therapies in adults (Dr. Francesco Valitutti).
“Celiac disease is an increasingly well-known pathology but one that still needs to be fought: both to deal with it for those who have a diagnosis and for those who do not yet know they have celiac disease. In our region we are almost at 4,500 diagnoses but, given that it is estimated that 1% of the population is celiac, many people are still missing. Our job is to provide correct information on celiac disease and raise awareness among the medical and political class to make this pathology more and more known, to pay attention to what the symptoms may be and to increasingly bring out new diagnoses”has explained Samuele Rossi, president of AiC Umbria, during the meeting.
There are many symptoms with which he can present himself. Some of the main manifestations are: chronic diarrhea, vomiting, iron deficiency anemia, arthritis, osteoporosis, heart problems and, in the first 6-24 months of life, also with a decrease in body weight or poor growth in height and weight. Celiac disease, in addition to being considered a social disease, is also included in the list of chronic diseases and this entitles you to exemption from copays for follow-up tests after diagnosis. It entitles you to a free monthly supply of gluten-free foods to be collected from public and private pharmacies, parapharmacies, supermarkets and specialized shops, until a monthly spending limit is reached which varies according to age and gender (from 56 euros for those under 5 years old, to 124 euros for children aged 14 to 17).
National Celiac Disease Week – On the occasion of National Celiac Disease Week (11 – 19 May), Aic (Italian Celiac Association) promoted, in collaboration with the Municipalities and the most important collective catering companies, the initiative “All at the table, all together: gluten-free menu days”the organization of a gluten-free meal for everyone in the canteens of nursery and primary schools. In Umbria, in the institutions participating in the initiative, 4,865 gluten-free meals were served. Specifically, on Monday 13 May it was done in the schools of the Municipality of Bastia (with 950 meals), on Tuesday 14 in the “Jole Orsini” didactic direction of Amelia (435), on Wednesday 15 in the Municipality of Orvieto (700), on Thursday 16 in the Municipality of Foligno (1,500), Friday 17th in the municipalities of Nocera Umbra (180) and Spoleto (1,100).
