‘What's celiac disease?' dominates online searches, after Miss Universe Harnaaz talks about her struggle

Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu recently spoke about suffering from the auto-immune disorder – characterised by gluten sensitivity – and how it’s impacted her body. Here’s a closer look at the little-known disease, its causes and symptoms

- Ranjit Kumar

On Wednesday,Miss Uni-verse 2021 Harnaaz Ka-ur Sandhu, at a press conference in Chandigarh, shared that she has celiac disease, which is a condition characterised by sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. “I was first bullied over being ‘too skinny and now they bully me, saying, ‘she’s fat’. Nobody knows about my celiac disease or that I can’t eat wheat flour and many other things,” she said. 

Soon after, online searches for the condition spiked. According to an IANS report, a study conducted by AIIMS in 2011 found that the disease affects almost 0.7% of the world’s population and 1 in 100 Indians. Yet, little is known about it still. We speak to experts about its signs and symptoms, and how exactly it affects one’s body.

‘CELIAC DISEASE SYMPTOMS CAN SHOW UP IN CHILDHOOD OR ADULTHOOD

According to experts, celiac disease has a bi-model presentation – that means it presents in two age groups. The first – when a baby is weaned off the mother’s milk and starts consuming foods such as roti and infant cereal. At this time, the baby, if sensitive to gluten, may have loose motions. Later in life – at the age of 12 or 15 – if one experiences recurrent loose motions, anaemia, low vitamin levels, weakness, fatigue, stunted growth, low weight,etc – a doctor would advise them to take the anti-tTG antibody test to find out if they have celiac disease.