Women with celiac disease are more likely to suffer from depression and disordered eating, a new study from Penn State University shows. According to HealthDay News, researchers found that the effect is the same for women whether or not they adhere to a strict gluten-free diet.
“We found that most [study] participants frequently adhered to a gluten-free diet, and this greater compliance with diet was related to increased vitality, lower stress, decreased depressive symptoms and greater overall emotional health,” said study co-author Josh Smyth. “However, even those people who were managing their illness very well reported higher rates of stress, depression and a range of issues clustered around body image, weight and shape when compared to the general population.”
To establish the link, Smyth and colleagues conducted a survey of 177 women diagnosed with celiac disease. Questions gauged how well the women stuck to their gluten-free diets, the physical symptoms associated with the disease, their ability to function, their stress levels and management, signs of clinical depression and their general feelings about food, eating and body image. Researchers then compared their answers to similar questions asked of the general public in past studies.
