Why is awareness of coeliac disease so important?

The anwer is, quite simply, by increasing awareness we can improve diagnosis rates of coeliac disease which are currently too low.

As a result, too many people are living with untreated coeliac disease.  These people are not only suffering unnecessarily day by day, but they are also running the risk of developing serious health complications in later life.

As one of the most common hereditary autoimmune diseases in the world today, coeliac disease affects one per cent of the population.  That’s 218,000 Australians or at least one in one hundred people.  Unfortunately, three out of four of these people are unaware that they have the condition.

In fact, because public awareness of coeliac disease is so low, most people with coeliac disease are not diagnosed until they are adults - if they are diagnosed at all.  This is why coeliac disease is often referred to as ‘the hidden epidemic.’

Raising public awareness about all aspects of coeliac disease - its prevalence, causes, symptoms and health implications - is a major focus for the CRF in our drive to improve public knowledge about coeliac disease and thus increase diagnosis rates across Australia and beyond.

By taking action in this way, we know we can deliver a healthier, happier today and tomorrow for the many thousands who are currently struggling with coeliac disease, but just don’t know it yet.