120,000 people in Jordan may have wheat allergy-related diseases — society

AMMAN — Preliminary statistics indicate that there are around 120,000 people diagnosed with wheat allergy-related diseases across the Kingdom, constituting 1.5 per cent of the population, Head of the Friends of Celiac Disease Patients Charity Association Suheir Abdul Qader said on Wednesday.

Speaking during the distribution of suitable food to those suffering from celiac at an event held at the Irbid Chamber of Commerce, Abdul Qader said that such figures call for exerting more efforts to supply patients with proper food alternatives, which are usually expensive

Wednesday’s event was part of a national initiative by the society under the theme “My food, my treatment”.

The charity, in cooperation with its partners and donors, has plans to help families of patients launch income-generating projects to enable them to cover the high cost of the food that is healthy for them to consume, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted Abdul Qader as saying.

Wheat allergy is an allergic reaction to foods containing wheat, one of the top eight food allergens in the US, according to www.mayoclinic.org. 

Allergic reactions can result from eating wheat, but also, in some cases, by inhaling wheat flour. Wheat can be found in many foods, including some that might not be suspected, such as beer, soy sauce and ketchup.

Avoiding wheat is the primary treatment for wheat allergy. Medications may be necessary to manage allergic reactions if someone accidentally eats wheat.

Wheat allergy sometimes is confused with celiac disease, but these conditions differ. 

A wheat allergy generates an allergy-causing antibody to proteins found in wheat. 

In people with celiac disease, a particular protein in wheat — gluten — causes an abnormal immune system reaction, according to the clinic. 

Abdul Qader called for creating a database that features accurate information on celiac patients, highlighting the importance of early detection of the disease to avoid symptoms, which include paleness and weight loss.

During the event, a patient shared her experience with the disease and her ability to live with the illness by using modified food, such as grounded corn and legumes, Petra reported.