A study on body mass has been done by Dr. William Dickey WilDickey@aol.com, which was recently published in the British Medical Journal. Dickey W, Bodkin S. - Prospective Study of Body Mass Index in Patients with Coeliac Disease, British Medical Journal 1998: 317: 1290 (November 7 issue).

Summary: Body mass index (BMI) was calculated in 50 newly diagnosed adult coeliac patients. Only 11 (22%) were underweight (BMI <20) while 17 (34%) were overweight (BMI 25 or over). Of 15 men in the series, only one (7%) was underweight, with 10 (67%) overweight. Only a minority of patients fit the obviously malnourished stereotype and the possibility of coeliac disease should not be discounted if the patient is overweight.

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