Objective: To characterize the clinical and nutritional impact of coeliac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy) among Saharawi children living as refugees in Algeria. Methods: A total of 65 Saharawi children with coeliac disease were compared with 71 age-matched non-coeliac controls. For each participant, the clinical history was taken and a clinical examination, non-quantitative 24-hour dietary recall, anthropometric and skinfold measurements, bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) of body composition, and venous blood sampling for haemoglobin determination were performed. Results: Gluten-containing food, especially bread, was the staple diet of Saharawi children. Abdominal pain and distension were significantly commoner among children with coeliac disease than in controls (P < 0.05). The mean height-for-age was significantly lower in such children than in controls (-2.5 ± 1.4 units vs -1.8 ± 1.3 units, respectively, P < 0.01). No significant differences were found for either skinfold or BIA measurements. Haemoglobin values tended to be lower in children with coeliac disease than in controls. Conclusions: Coeliac disease has a negative effect on the health status of Saharawi refugee children. Because of the high prevalence of the condition in the Saharawi, a specific programme for treating ali affected individuals should be established. Further studies are required to quantify the impact of coeliac disease in other areas of the developing world.

Health status child Refugees Algeria (source: MeSH) Africa, Northern Celiac disease/ethnology Diet/adverse effects

Algeria refugee abdominal pain developing country disease treatment human Refugees controlled study celiac disease gluten health status ethnology health program Humans clinical examination Child Welfare child health prevalence Article disease prevalence major clinical study Africa, Northern anthropometry skinfold impedance quantitative assay nutritional status Dietary Carbohydrates Child Nutrition Physiology Child