Gluten Intolerance is No Longer Considered a Caucasian's Disease

As surprising as it may seem, different regional groups in countries have varying tendencies for celiac disease. The main reason? Diet. Just as dialects and cultural practices differ from region to region, the diet too has so much variability in any country. Take India as an example. Gluten-free rice is much more common in Southern India whereas wheat is more popular in Northern India, especially Punjab.

Some of the staple food eaten in Punjab are chapatis, which are flatbreads. When eaten during summer, this bread is made with wheat, but when consumed during winter, it is made with maize. While maize is gluten-free, wheat is definitely not! This is why people in Punjab experience a phenomenon they call ‘summer diarrhea’, which is, in fact, a symptom of celiac disease.

Clearly, diet and cultural practices have a lot to do with one’s susceptibility to gluten intolerance. Regardless of the region, if one has the genetic disposition and is exposed to gluten, people will likely have the disease.