The gluten-free diet: access and economic aspects and impact on lifestyle

Abstract

Background:

The cost and availability of gluten-free products (GFPs) are aspects associated with gluten-free dietary compliance. In turn, following a gluten-free diet (GFD) could impact on lifestyle.

Objectives:

To investigate the availability and cost of GFPs in Northwestern Mexico, to associate these factors with gluten-free dietary noncompliance, and to evaluate the impact of the GFD on lifestyle.

Materials and methods:

Gluten-containing foods were compared with their gluten-free versions. The data were collected by store visitation (16 supermarkets and 10 health food stores). Individuals prescribed a GFD by a physician were surveyed (n=36).

Results:

The gluten-free versions investigated (n=16) had limited availability (average 26.9%; 4.3 gluten-free versions available per store) and were more expensive than their gluten-containing counterparts (190%–1088%, P<0.05). Poor gluten-free dietary compliance was attributed to the high cost (n=36) and low availability (n=30) of GFPs. Most respondents were afraid of dining out (n=35), were limiting their social activities (n=32), and had difficulties traveling (n=30).

Conclusion:

Health care professionals who counsel gluten-sensitive patients should provide tools to facilitate access to GFPs and to minimize the cost of the GFD, and consider the diet-associated social restrictions.

Keywords::

• gluten-free diet
• cost
• availability
• lifestyle
• Mexico

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa through grant PROFAPI2013/009. The authors thank participants of the first Mexican Symposium on Celiac Disease, held in June 2014, the association Por una Vida sin Gluten A.C., and Marianela Delgado-Uriarte.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.