title: Gluten sensitivity: new epidemic or new myth? Every major change in our diet carries with it the possibility of unforeseen risks.
abstract: Fueled in part by recent best-selling books that warn of the evils of gluten in our diets, a significant proportion of our population is now either avoiding foods that contain gluten or eliminating gluten entirely from their diets, and these numbers continue to grow. The gluten-free trend-and the accompanying multibillion dollar industry it has created-stems from the spreading belief that eating foods containing wheat or other gluten-laden grains may not only result in weight gain and obesity but can also lead to a laundry list of ailments ranging from depression and anxiety to arthritis and autism. One popular book contends that current recommendations for a high-grain, low-fat diet underlie much of today's chronic health problems and that a low-carbohydrate, high-fat/cholesterol diet is ideal. Every major change in our diet carries with it the possibility of unforeseen risks. Concern about the impact of such popularized dietary recommendations on overall well-being-and on cardiovascular health in particular-warrants discussion in the medical community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York; Health Sciences Library, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York; Health Sciences Library, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Slutzky
mesh_terms: D055050:Diet, Gluten-Free / Q000379:methods*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014943:Global Health; D005983:Glutens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D005983:Glutens