Frequency of the disease

The global prevalence of coeliac disease based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 2018 reaches 1.4% based on the positive results from the hematological examinations of antibodies related to coeliac disease. While the global prevalence of coeliac disease confirmed by biopsy is 0.7%.

In South America the percentage is 0,4%, in Africa and North America 0.5%, 0.6% in Asia and 0.8% in Europe and Oceania. The prevalence appears to be higher in women than in men and significantly higher in children than in adults.

Higher rates are reported in first-degree relatives of patients with coeliac disease and patients with other autoimmune diseases. In Greece and Cyprus, there is no accurate data on the incidence of coeliac disease due to a lack of official statistics.