Quebecers with celiac disease: analysis of dietary problems

The only known treatment for celiac disease is lifelong avoidance of dietary gluten. For many sufferers from celiac disease, this may be difficult to achieve. The purpose of this study was to analyse dietary habits and related problems of adults afflicted with celiac disease. A questionnaire was mailed to 617 current and former members of the Quebec Celiac Foundation to document health, dietary habits, sources of celiac disease treatment information, daily concerns, and level of difficulty in complying with a gluten-free diet. The final sample size was 234 (75% female). Results indicated that over 35% of participants experienced intestinal discomfort at least twice a week. In addition, 66% felt that their consumption of grain products was insufficient. Only 44% said they had received from dietitians a large quantity of information about celiac disease treatment, and only 57% had a high level of confidence in the information received from dietitians. Thirty-six percent reported difficulty in complying with the gluten-free diet. According to a probit analysis, larger region of residence (p<0.02) and concern about preparing meals (p<0.005) were directly related to difficulty in complying, while older age (p<0.05), satisfaction with gluten-free products (p<0.01), and a high level of confidence in treatment information from gastroenterologists and dietitians (p<0.005) were inversely associated with compliance difficulty. Awareness of these results should encourage dietitians to improve their skills in treating celiac disease.