Memo to patients with (CD) and their doctors: Avoiding gluten is im颅portant 鈥� but so is maintaining quality of life.
So finds a study led by TC鈥檚 , As颅sociate Professor of, published last spring in Digestive Diseases & Sciences.
鈥淭here are potential negative consequences of hypervigilance to a strict gluten-free diet,鈥� write Wolf and co-authors (including faculty and TC students Jennifer Cadenhead and Chelsea Amengual). 鈥淐linicians must consider the importance of concurrently promoting both dietary adherence and social and emotional well-being for individuals with CD.鈥�
An accompanying editorial said the study 鈥渉ighlights the need for finding balance between adherence to a gluten-free diet and maintaining a high quality of life鈥� and called for further studies to determine that balance.
鈥淐linicians must consider the importance of concurrently promoting both dietary adherence and social and emotional well-being for individuals with CD.鈥�
鈥� Randi Wolf
With celiac disease, a genetically acquired autoimmune disorder, the intestine becomes in颅flamed after the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Some people have no symptoms; others expe颅rience abdominal pain, infertility and anemia. Continued gluten ingestion can cause intestinal damage and increase risk for osteoporosis and certain cancers. The condition affects one in 133 people 鈥� a five-fold increase since the 1950s.
Randi Wolf, As颅sociate Professor of Human Nutrition
Wolf鈥檚 team surveyed adults and teens with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease. Some patients, classified as 鈥渉ypervigilant,鈥� carefully monitored their diets to avoid intentional and unintentional gluten exposure, dined in gluten-free restau颅rants, prepared food for non-household consumption and closely attended to food labeling. A second group was less meticulous in monitor颅ing food intake inside and outside the home.
The hypervigilant participants reported lower energy and greater anxiety and stress, including constant worries about cross-contamination and dismissive or uninformed wait staff.