A cafe owner in Dublin, Ireland, sparked internet outrage last week when they said anyone wanting gluten-free food would have to show a doctor's note. Although they later admitted it was just a joke, the commotion reflects the rise of what might be called "gluten intolerance intolerance", Many people see going gluten-free as just another fad, but researchers are still trying to figure out what science might underlie it. Now a US study has found that while the number of people with coeliac disease has dipped slightly in the past five years, staying at just under 1 per cent of the population, those who avoid gluten without having a diagnosis has more than tripled, to 1.7 per cent (JAMA Internal Medicine, doi.org/bqdj).
展开▼
