Placing children on a gluten-free diet without consulting a physician could be damaging to their health, medical experts warn.
Gluten-free diets are critical for people living with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which ingesting gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye — leads to damage in the small intestine. There is no treatment available for the disease and currently the only therapy is adhering to a gluten-free diet.
An estimated 1 percent of Americans live with celiac disease. That number has been growing in recent years — likely because of increased awareness and improved detection. However, that increase does not account for the explosive growth of the gluten-free food industry. Millions of people now shun gluten even though there’s no medical reason for them to do so.
A recent survey of more than 1,500 adults in the U.S. found that the most common motivations for going gluten-free were “no reason” and the belief that it’s somehow a “healthier option.”
Now, some health care providers raising concerns about the growing trend. A new commentary published in The Journal of Pediatrics specifically addresses the potential risk for children whose parents place them on a gluten-free […]
As a person who discovered a gluten-sensitive 20 years ago, this article makes me angry. Using the 1 percent as being the only “medically proven” amount of people who should use a gluten-free diet is outrageous! That is the amount of actual cases of Celiac. However, there are a vast number of others who have an real immune reaction to the low quality wheat that we now produce and don’t even know it. I discovered my gluten-sensitivity after going on a candida elimination diet. When I added gluten back into my diet after three months without, I had back pain, brain fog, and constipation for three days. I believe a good percentage of our obesity crisis is due to those who don’t even know they are sensitive to gluten and that has been true of my daughter and granddaughter. There are many other ways to get the B vitamins found in wheat. Sorry, but I feel you have done a disservice to those of us who struggled to feel better and lose weight, then found going gluten-free we felt so much better.
After traveling recently to New Zealand and Australia, I can say they are way ahead of us in understanding that gluten isn’t necessary to be put in everything. Restaurants there clearly identify gluten-free options and there are many. Mostly, the quality of their food in general is fresh and good that they put the U.S. to shame.
May I suggest that you encourage those who are invited to your table to bring the accommodating foods they need rather than expecting yourself to find and serve them their special foods. They are probably used to bringing their special foods whenever eating outside their own home.
I have been a reader of your blog for over ten years. This is the first time I have ever commented. Most of the time, I appreciate your perspective and focus on wellness, personal and societal, but this time I could not let this go unexpressed.