{"id":17996,"date":"2026-09-29T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/?p=17996"},"modified":"2026-09-26T16:01:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T14:01:43","slug":"coeliac-uk-epidemiology-research-award-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/coeliac-uk-epidemiology-research-award-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Coeliac UK and Crohn&#8217;s &#038; Colitis UK Fund New Study on How Many People Live With Coeliac Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How many people in the UK actually live with <a href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/celiac-disease-guide\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"13195\"><strong>coeliac disease<\/strong><\/a>, how many are newly diagnosed each year, and how long do they wait for that diagnosis? A new research project aims to answer exactly those questions. On 28 August 2026, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coeliac.org.uk\/news\/new-research-investment-award-announcement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Coeliac UK announced<\/strong><\/a> that it has joined forces with <strong>Crohn&#8217;s &amp; Colitis UK<\/strong> to fund a new epidemiology study worth <strong>\u00a3106.5k<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/coeliac-uk-epidemiology-research-award-2026\/#Who_is_behind_the_study\" >Who is behind the study<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/coeliac-uk-epidemiology-research-award-2026\/#What_the_researchers_will_look_at\" >What the researchers will look at<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/coeliac-uk-epidemiology-research-award-2026\/#How_millions_of_anonymous_patient_records\" >How: millions of anonymous patient records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/coeliac-uk-epidemiology-research-award-2026\/#Why_this_matters_for_people_with_coeliac_disease\" >Why this matters for people with coeliac disease<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/coeliac-uk-epidemiology-research-award-2026\/#What_happens_next\" >What happens next<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_is_behind_the_study\"><\/span>Who is behind the study<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The award goes to <strong>Dr Martha Elwenspoek<\/strong> and <strong>Dr Mohamed Shiha<\/strong>, from the <strong>University of Bristol<\/strong> and the <strong>University of Sheffield<\/strong>. It was made through a joint epidemiology research call run by the two charities. According to Coeliac UK, the project started in July 2026 and is expected to be completed within <strong>16 months<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I am delighted to receive this award from Coeliac UK and Crohn&#8217;s &amp; Colitis UK. This research brings together my interests in epidemiology, routinely collected healthcare data, and improving diagnostic pathways,&#8221; said Dr Elwenspoek in the charity&#8217;s announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN.jpg\"><picture class=\"gt-avif-picture\"><source type=\"image\/avif\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-1024x683.avif 1024w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-300x200.avif 300w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-768x512.avif 768w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-1536x1024.avif 1536w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN.avif 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><img data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" data-gt-avif=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Chica quej\u00e1ndose de dolor de tripa\" class=\"wp-image-18006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-portada-noticia-enfermedad-de-Crohn-y-colities-EN.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/picture><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Foto de <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/es\/@sasun1990?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sasun Bughdaryan<\/a> en <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/es\/fotos\/una-persona-sujetandose-el-estomago-con-dolor-_cJT-w00-VE?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_researchers_will_look_at\"><\/span>What the researchers will look at<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team will establish up-to-date figures on the <strong>incidence<\/strong> (new cases per year) and <strong>prevalence<\/strong> (total number of people living with a condition) of several gluten-related and digestive conditions across the UK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coeliac disease<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gluten ataxia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dermatitis herpetiformis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Different forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They will also study how often coeliac disease appears alongside other conditions \u2014 known as <strong>comorbidities<\/strong> \u2014 specifically type 1 diabetes, autoimmune thyroid disease and migraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_millions_of_anonymous_patient_records\"><\/span>How: millions of anonymous patient records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do this, the researchers will use the <strong>Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD)<\/strong>, a database containing millions of anonymised patient records from UK healthcare. By analysing these records, the team hopes to work out how many people live with each condition, how many receive a new diagnosis each year, and \u2014 crucially \u2014 where <strong>diagnostic delays<\/strong> happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_this_matters_for_people_with_coeliac_disease\"><\/span>Why this matters for people with coeliac disease<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reliable numbers are the foundation for almost everything else: they help health services plan care, make the case for better testing and screening, and show where people are slipping through the net. Better data on diagnostic delays in particular could help shorten the often long road many coeliacs travel before getting a diagnosis \u2014 and, with it, access to the right support and a strict gluten-free diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking at gluten ataxia and dermatitis herpetiformis in the same study is also significant. These less familiar manifestations of gluten-related autoimmunity affect the nervous system and the skin respectively, and are frequently overlooked. Including them alongside coeliac disease and IBD should give a much more complete picture of how these conditions overlap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The partnership itself is worth noting too: two major patient charities pooling resources on a shared research question is an efficient way to fund work that benefits both communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_next\"><\/span>What happens next<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a 16-month timeline from July 2026, results are not expected before late 2027. We will keep an eye on Coeliac UK&#8217;s updates and share the findings once they are published. In the meantime, if you are travelling to the UK, remember that Coeliac UK is also a great resource for finding safe places to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the everyday side of living with the condition, read our report on the <a href=\"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/gluten-threshold-celiac-disease-study\/\">study that found a celiac immune reaction at just 3 mg of gluten<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coeliac.org.uk\/news\/new-research-investment-award-announcement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Coeliac UK \u2013 &#8220;Coeliac UK and Crohn&#8217;s &amp; Colitis UK unite to fund epidemiology research&#8221;<\/a> (28 August 2026).<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coeliac UK and Crohn&#8217;s &#038; Colitis UK have jointly awarded \u00a3106.5k to researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Sheffield to map how common coeliac disease and related conditions are across the UK, and how long diagnosis takes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","_gt_pin_image_url":"","footnotes":"","rank_math_description":"Coeliac UK and Crohn's & Colitis UK award \u00a3106.5k to Bristol and Sheffield researchers to map coeliac disease prevalence, comorbidities and diagnosis delays in the UK.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"coeliac disease research UK"},"categories":[515],"tags":[549],"wf_post_folders":[508],"class_list":["post-17996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-gluten-free-news"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17996"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18107,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17996\/revisions\/18107"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17996"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutendtrotters.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=17996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}