The cause of death was obtained for 77 members of the Coeliac Society resident in England and Wales. Proportional mortality analysis revealed a significant deficiency in deaths from ischaemic heart-disease in males and a non-significant deficiency in females. It is suggested that this apparent protective effect of coeliac disease might result from malabsorption of dietary lipids. The study also confirmed findings of an excess of deaths from lymphoma and upper gastrointestinal neoplasms.