The gluten-free diet: Recognizing fact, fiction, and fad
The gluten-free diet (GFD) is a critical medical treatment for the millions of individuals worldwide with celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune condition for which no other therapy is currently available. The prevalence of CD is increasing,1 reflected by escalating awareness of CD in the scientific community. This increase in disease prevalence and awareness of CD, however, does not account for the disproportionate increase in growth of the gluten-free food industry. According to market research, consumers without CD purchase the vast bulk of gluten-free products.