A large Norwegian study suggests that toddlers who eat a more varied diet by 18 months may have a lower risk of developing celiac disease later in childhood – regardless of how “healthy” that diet is.

Study Overview

Researchers analyzed data from over 64,000 children followed from birth to an average age of 16. Using dietary questionnaires completed at 18 months, they assessed:

• Dietary diversity (0–4 score): how varied the toddler’s diet was

• Healthy Eating Index (0–36): how nutritionally sound the diet was

Celiac diagnoses were identified through national health records and parent surveys at ages 7–8.

Key Findings

• More variety = lower risk: Each increase in dietary diversity score was linked to a 9% reduced risk of developing celiac disease.

• Healthy eating alone wasn’t protective: No significant link was found between healthier diets and lower celiac risk.

• Other factors adjusted for: Results accounted for gluten intake, iron supplements, and early infections.

In Practice

Researchers suggest that dietary variety may shape gut and immune development in ways that affect celiac risk. However, more study is needed on how factors like gluten timing, infections, and food diversity interact.

Limitations

• Data relied on caregiver reports.

• The study sample skewed toward well-educated families.

• Diet processing levels and saturated fat weren’t tracked.

The Bottom Line

Offering toddlers a wider range of foods – regardless of nutritional “healthiness” – may play a role in reducing their risk of celiac disease. These findings could help shape future infant feeding recommendations, though more research is needed.

You can read more about this here: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/diverse-early-life-diet-linked-lower-celiac-disease-risk-2025a1000j93