Global spread of autoimmune disease blamed on western diet

More and more people around the world are suffering because their immune systems can no longer tell the difference between healthy cells and invading micro-organisms. Disease defences that once protected them are instead attacking their tissue and organs. Major international research efforts are being made to fight this trend – including setting up separate research groups to help pinpoint the precise causes of autoimmune disease, as these conditions are known.

Although Western society, living off a Western style diet, have seen numbers of autoimmune cases increase over the last 40 years, scientists are now seeing some emerge in countries that never had such diseases before. For example, the biggest recent increase in inflammatory bowel disease cases has been in the Middle East and east Asia. Autoimmune diseases range from type 1 diabetes to rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. In each case, the immune system gets its wires crossed and turns on healthy tissue instead of infectious agents.

In the UK alone, at least 4 million people have developed such conditions, with some individuals suffering more than one. Internationally, it is now estimated that cases of autoimmune diseases are rising by between 3% and 9% a year. Most scientists believe environmental factors play a key role in this rise.

One suggestion, is changes in diet that are occurring as more and more countries adopt western-style diets and people consume more and more fast food. Fast-food diets lack certain important ingredients, such as fibre, and evidence suggests this alteration affects a person’s microbiome – the collection of micro-organisms that we have in our gut and which play a key role in controlling various bodily functions.

These changes in our microbiomes are then triggering autoimmune diseases, of which more than 100 types have now been discovered. Never the less, it should be stressed that individual susceptibilities are known to be involved in contracting such illnesses, ailments that also include celiac disease as well as lupus, which triggers inflammation and swelling and can cause damage to various organs, including the heart.

Although science can’t halt the global spread of fast-food franchises, scientists are - however - trying to understand the fundamental genetic mechanisms that underpin autoimmune diseases and make some people susceptible but others not. This task is possible thanks to the development of techniques that now allow scientists to pinpoint tiny DNA differences among large numbers of individuals. In this way, it is possible to identify common genetic patterns among those suffering from an autoimmune disease.

At present, there are a range of potentially useful new therapies that are being developed all the time. The current question is understanding what therapy is best suited for each patient. This is now a key goal for autoimmune research. To learn how to group and classify patients so they can receive the right therapy.

Scientists recognise that surging cases of autoimmune diseases across the world mean new treatments and drugs are urgently needed more than ever before. This means growing numbers of people face surgery or will have to have regular injections for the rest of their lives. It can be grim for patients and a massive strain on health services. Hence the urgent need to find new, effective treatments.

Extracts taken from Robin McKie from https://www.theguardian.com