title: Gluten-free and regular foods: a cost comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The treatment of celiac disease is a strict gluten-free diet for life. This diet is assumed to be more expensive, although no studies confirm this assumption. In the current study, the prices of gluten-free foods and regular (gluten-containing) foods were compared to determine if and to what extent gluten-free products are more expensive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prices were compared for all food products labelled "gluten-free" and comparable gluten-containing food items in the same group available at two large-chain general grocery stores. The unit cost of each food, calculated as the price in dollars per 100 grams of each product, was calculated for purposes of comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 56 gluten-free products were more expensive than regular products. The mean (+/- standard deviation) unit price for gluten-free products was $1.71 (+/- 0.93) compared with $0.61 (+/- 0.38) for regular products (p<0.0001). On average, gluten-free products were 242% more expensive than regular products (+/- 212; range, 5% to 1,000%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All the commercially available products labelled gluten-free were significantly more expensive than comparable products. This information will be useful to dietitians who counsel individuals and families with celiac disease, and to celiac advocacy groups for lobbying the government about financial compensation.
authors.affiliation: Dalhousie Medical School, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
authors.forename: Laci
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Mohsin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rashid
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000191:economics; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005382:Financing, Personal; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics*; D005504:Food Analysis; D005983:Glutens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005983:Glutens