There are 251 thousand people in Italy with a diagnosis of celiac disease, 70% women. In 2022, 10,210 new diagnoses of celiac disease were recorded. An increase compared to 2021 (8,582) and 2020 (7,729) but still lower than 2019 (11,179). It is the photograph taken from the Report to Parliament (year 2022) of the Ministry of Health. “Of the 251,939 celiac subjects, 2% (5,401) are between 6 months and 5 years old, 4% (11,066) are between 6 and 9 years old, 7% (16,463) are between 10 and 13 years old, 8% (20,380) are between 14 and 17 years old, 67% (168,776) are between 18 and 59 years old and the remaining 12% (29,853) are over 60 years of age”, specifies the Report. The expenditure for the provision of gluten-free foods in exemption in 2022 reached 237.6 million euros, equal to 943 euros per capita.
“In Italy there are over 250 thousand people who, due to celiac disease, are forced to observe a rigorous gluten-free diet every day. In our nation the celiac diet is partly financed by the National Health Service for the free provision of gluten-free products. Celiac disease in Italy is also recognized as a social disease since it affects normal integration into group life to the point of sometimes compromising compliance with the diet. To prevent uncomfortable situations as much as possible and facilitate safe access to services for collective catering, a further annual contribution is envisaged which the Regions can invest to implement training initiatives for food sector operators and to allow the adaptation of the canteens attached to public structures”. Thus the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci in the written contribution to the Annual Report on celiac disease (year 2022) to Parliament.
“There is currently no cure for celiac disease but the complications of a late diagnosis remain important – the minister recalled – so in 2023 the Italian Parliament decided to invest in prevention by developing a national screening program for the pediatric population. The This document is the summary of a year of precious and tiring work carried out by those who constantly fight for the protection of the most precious asset: health”.
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