A recent study of people with coeliac disease compared the attitudes and compliance with a gluten-free diet between 2011 and 2022. Results suggest that while some aspects have improved, eating out remains challenging.
The study involved two web-based surveys conducted by the Italian Coeliac Association, with 2,427 respondents in 2011 and 3,529 in 2022, ranging in age from 1 to 84 years old.
The findings reveal high levels of adherence to a gluten-free diet amongst those with coeliac disease, with 91 per cent of respondents in 2022 following the diet strictly, up from previous years. This compliance was especially strong among children and adolescents, with adherence rates of 94 per cent. The study noted a 5 per cent decrease in diet transgression events and a 17 per cent reduction in occasional temptation to stray from a gluten-free diet.
Interestingly, the results suggest most respondents did not rely on dietitians or nutritionists to gain information on their dietary choices, in favour of online sources.
Despite the lower prevalence of transgression events declared and the lower prevalence of worries experienced, the management of social occasions still appears to be an important burden, leading to a reduction in social life activities. More responders in 2022 than in 2011 said that they had reduced the frequency of social occasions and that they preferred to eat at home. Previous research has shown eating away from home introduces significant difficulties for people with coeliac disease and is cited as one of the main barriers to gluten-free diet adherence.
The trends uncovered by this study underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and support for people with coeliac disease, particularly in social contexts. As international guidelines suggest, restructured follow-up care, including expert dietary consultations, is key to maintaining both compliance and quality of life for those needing to adhere to a gluten-free diet.
Reference: Fiori F, Bravo G, Neuhold S, Bartolone G, Pilo C, Parpinel M, Pellegrini N. Compliance and Attitudes towards the Gluten-Free Diet in Celiac Patients in Italy: What Has Changed after a Decade? Nutrients. 2024 Jul 31;16(15):2493. Available with Open Access.
