Results from a United Kingdom survey reveal British men on a gluten free diet are less successful in their attempt to follow the diet, for various reasons and apparently cheat more frequently than women do.
Newburn Bakehouse by Warburtons commissioned the survey and found there is still “an alarming stigma from men surrounding gluten free, with almost a quarter (21%) of gluten sensitive men stating that following a gluten free diet is not for real men” … and “the results showed that over a third of men (36%) who are sensitive to gluten still do not follow a gluten free diet despite the condition causing discomfort, but when it comes to other areas of their health men seem willing to change their diets at the drop of a hat.”
Say what?
Why anyone, male or female, would continue to eat gluten, after receiving a diagnosis of celiac disease is beyond me, given all the research indicating continuous gluten ingestion damages the villi, and can lead to serious health issues, including cancer. Sure there is a learning curve to the diet initially, and it continues to present challenges, including socially, but if eating gluten-free is going to save someone from experiencing uncomfortable symptoms and possibly prevent further illness(es), why eat gluten? Stigma, Shigma, I’d choose good health. I’m sure there are British men (& men from around the globe) who are maintaining their gluten-free lifestyles just fine. Keep up the great work, your health depends on it!
Read more about Newburn’s study* HERE, and feel free to leave a comment below.
*In my opinion, the title of Newburn’s article “A Gluten Free Diet is Not For Real Men”, does nothing to punctuate the fact that men diagnosed with CD, along with women and children, should be maintaining a strict gluten-free diet. Though I understand the title was tongue in cheek, many people will simply read the title alone, perhaps chuckle and then move on (never actually reading through the article, which does reiterate the importance of being 100% committed to being GF, especially if diagnosed with CD).
