Living with coeliac disease and a gluten‐free diet: a Canadian perspective

Abstract

Objective: Strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is the only treatment for coeliac disease. The gluten-free diet is complex, costly and impacts on all activities involving food, making it difficult to maintain for a lifetime. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the difficulties experienced, the strategies used and the emotional impact of following a glutenfree diet among Canadians with coeliac disease. Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to all members (n = 10 693) of both the Canadian Celiac Association and the Fondation québécoise de la maladie coeliaque in 2008. Results: The overall response rate was 72%. Results are presented for the 5912 respondents ( 18 years) reporting biopsy-confirmed coeliac disease and/or dermatitis herpetiformis. Two-thirds never intentionally consumed gluten. Women reported significantly greater emotional responses to a gluten-free diet but, with time, were more accepting of it than men. Difficulties and negative emotions were experienced less frequently by those on the diet for >5 years, although food labelling and eating away from home remained very problematic. Frustration and isolation because of the diet were the most common negative emotions experienced. Conclusions: The present study quantifies the difficulties experienced, the strategies used and the emotional impact of following a gluten-free diet. It highlights the need to improve the training and education of dietitians, other health providers and the food service industry workers about coeliac disease and a gluten-free diet, with the aim of better helping individuals improve their adherence to a gluten-free diet and their quality of life.

Quality of Life Evaluation in Celiac Patients From Southern Brazil

“…The proportion of CD between the genders is two women to one man (22) . However, in this study, it was necessary to remove the statistical analysis of the data provided by men because of their low adhesion to the research.…”

“…It also evaluate how the needs and expectations of patients are affected by their condition. From this perspective, some authors investigated the impact of CD, and also the GFD, on patients lives (4,22) . However, no studies on the topic were found in Brazil.…”

“…Currently, the only available treatment is a gluten-free diet (GFD) (4,17) , which, once established, stops clinical symptoms, combats nutritional deficiencies, and reduces the risk of developing other autoimmune diseases and malignancies associated with CD (21) . The restrictions imposed by the GFD generate large changes in the daily habits of the patient and their families and can be difficult to maintain throughout life (11,22) . Thus, there are studies that show an adequate response to therapy in over 30% of patients (4,14) .…”

BezGlutenu Mobile App-Novelty on the Polish Market

“…It is especially important in newly diagnosed patients as it can positively change a patient's approach to a new dietary regime. In consequence, it can prevent the development of various health complications caused by even the smallest amount of gluten [12].…”

Celiac Disease and Gluten-free Diet in Portuguese Children – An Anthropometric Marker Contribution Assessment

“…Several authors described difficulties to follow a strict GFD and indicate factors as taste, scarcity, cost and insufficient labeling of products. Also, the difficulty in eating out and limited knowledge of general community contribute to a negative impact on quality of life patients leading to low compliance, particularly in adolescence [21][22][23][24][25][26][27].…”