Physical activity may ease symptoms, improve life quality in patients with celiac disease

Engaging in physical activities (PAs) may ease inflammation and improve quality of life in patients with celiac disease (CD), an immune-mediated disorder triggered by gluten ingestion, suggests a study.

The authors conducted a systematic review of peer-review observational and experimental studies assessing PA in individuals with CD across all age groups, without language or date restrictions, following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were searched from the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and SPORTDiscus. The risk of bias was assessed via JBI and Cochrance RoB 2 tools.

Fourteen studies met the eligibility criteria, most of which were cross-sectional, with one quasi-experimental study and two randomized controlled trials reported across five publications.

Pooled data indicated a possible but inconsistent associations between higher PA levels and better profiles in body composition, inflammatory and oxidative markers, quality of life, and psychological outcomes among patients with CD.

Some studies also found positive associations regarding gastrointestinal symptoms and adherence to the gluten-free diet. However, the findings on metabolic markers and bone mineral density were deemed inconsistent and linked to dietary factors.

“[T]he current evidence remains highly preliminary, limited, and inconsistent, which restricts the strength of any definitive conclusions,” the authors said. “Therefore, high-quality, longitudinal studies and well-designed clinical trials are needed to confirm its long-term benefits, especially in the paediatric population, and to establish specific recommendations.”