I caught up on some reading lately and in the December 8, 2008 issue of U.S. News and World Report there is a section containing many articles on digestive disorders.
The first article talks about many disorders but doesn’t mention celiac disease. Same with the second article. I was getting disgusted with the reporting when I turned the page and was happy to see the third article. It is titled “Gluten-Free Diet: a Cure for Some, a Fad for Most” by Adam Voiland.
The article states that not quite 1% of Americans have celiac disease. But we know that the majority of them don’t know they have it and are suffering the consequences. 1% of the U.S. population is over 3 million people.
I like the last paragraph of the article where Mr. Voiland brings up the fact that “as gluten-free eating becomes faddish, there’s worry that respect for the diet as a medical treatment could founder.” He quotes Carol Shilson, who is executive director of the Celiac Disease Research Center at the University of Chicago, as saying: “We have to be careful that [the diet's popularity] doesn’t negate the seriousness of the situation for people with celiac disease.”
I agree and I hope we can all stay vigilant. Many people diagnosed with celiac disease may be wondering why people without a diagnosis decide to go on a gluten-free diet. Sometimes it can seem like it is a fad. This can diminish the perception of the disease among the public. For people diagnosed with celiac disease the diet is mandatory and cross-contamination is a serious matter.
