Bone Mineral Density and Importance of a Gluten-Free Diet in Patients With Celiac Disease in Childhood

Abstract

BMD is almost invariably low in newly diagnosed celiac patients in childhood. We therefore recommend that BMD should be evaluated in patients with CD. Strict gluten avoidance promoted a significant increase in BMD. However, values still remained markedly low after 1 year of follow-up in some patients. These patients should be followed for longer periods of time with yearly BMD evaluation, as 1 year of diet therapy was found to be insufficient for osteopenia to be resolved.