Anyone can get celiac disease at any age. However, some factors make it more likely to occur. For one thing, you are much more likely to get celiac disease if you have a close relative who has the disease. It is also more common among people of European descent and in people who have certain other autoimmune disorders, including:

• lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)
• type 1 diabetes
• rheumatoid arthritis
• autoimmune thyroid disease
• microscopic colitis

Of course, a person also has to consume gluten in order to develop celiac disease. However, since gluten is common in the staple foods of many societies, few people in the world do not consume any gluten unless they are intentionally avoiding it.