Here are five insights:
1. The cause of celiac disease is unknown, though previous studies have suggested the role of various environmental factors. At present, experts say those with family history are at greatest risk for the disease.
2. The researchers used a longitudinal study of almost 2 million Swedish children for their analysis. They examined the association between season of birth, region of birth and year of birth for the 6,569 children that were diagnosed with celiac disease.
3. They found that the risk of celiac disease was higher for children born during the spring, summer and autumn, when compared with children born during the winter. Risk of celiac disease was also higher for children born in south or central Sweden, when compared with children born in northern Sweden.
4. However, this association does not mean that season or region of birth causes celiac disease. The study’s lead author, Fredinah Namatovu, told Reuters that “Season and region of birth could be a proxy for other factors such as vitamin D and viral infections.”
5. The study concludes that “Seasonal variation in infectious load is the likely explanation” — however, since the study’s link is only associative, additional research is necessary.
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