Prevalence and Characterization of Self-Reported Gluten Sensitivity in The Netherlands

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 8; no. 11; p. 714
• Main Authors: van Gils, Tom, Nijeboer, Petula, IJssennagger, Catharina E, Sanders, David S, Mulder, Chris J J, Bouma, Gerd
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 08-11-2016; MDPI
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal Pain; Adult; Aged; Carbohydrates; Celiac disease; Diet, Gluten-Free; Female; Fermentation; Flatulence; FODMAPs; Food; Food Hypersensitivity - diet therapy; Food Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Gastroenterology; Gluten; Glutens; Hepatology; Humans; Irritable bowel syndrome; Male; Middle Aged; Monosaccharides; Netherlands - epidemiology; non-celiac gluten sensitivity; non-celiac wheat sensitivity; Oligosaccharides; Questionnaires; Self Report; Surveys and Questionnaires; Urban Population; United Kingdom > UK; Netherlands; celiac disease; gluten; non-celiac wheat sensitivity; non-celiac gluten sensitivity; irritable bowel syndrome; FODMAPs
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu8110714

A growing number of individuals reports symptoms related to the ingestion of gluten-containing food in the absence of celiac disease. Yet the actual prevalence is not well established.
Between April 2015 and March 2016, unselected adults visiting marketplaces, dental practices and a university in The Netherlands were asked to complete a modified validated questionnaire for self-reported gluten sensitivity (srGS).
Among the 785 adults enquired, two had celiac disease. Forty-nine (6.2%) reported symptoms related to the ingestion of gluten-containing food. These individuals were younger, predominantly female and lived more frequently in urban regions compared with the other respondents. Symptoms reported included bloating (74%), abdominal discomfort (49%) and flatulence (47%). A total of 23 (47%) srGS individuals reported having had tried a gluten-free or gluten-restricted diet. Abdominal discomfort related to fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyol (FODMAP)-containing food was more often reported in srGS individuals compared with the other respondents (73.5% vs. 21.7%,
0.001).
Self-reported GS is common in The Netherlands, especially in younger individuals, females and urban regions, although the prevalence was lower than in a comparable recent UK study. It cannot be excluded that FODMAPs are in part responsible for these symptoms.