Dive Brief:
- Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester said that the amount of Americans who avoided gluten despite not having celiac disease more than tripled in the five-year span of 2009 to 2014, growing to an estimated 3.1 million people, according to Food Business News.
- Based on a study of 22,227 participants, 1.7% of Americans without celiac disease avoided gluten from 2013 to 2014, more than three times the 0.5% who eschewed it in 2009 to 2010.
- While there is an increase in public interest in following a gluten-free diet, research has yet to conclude if there’s any true benefit of following such a strict diet for people without gluten-related conditions.
Dive Insight:
A recent report from Technavio projected that the global gluten-free packaged food market would grow at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6% between now and 2019 due to an increase in consumers who want to — but don't need to — go gluten-free.
Many people — especially millennials — are choosing this diet because they believe it's healthier for them. In fact, a survey conducted by Monash University revealed 78% of buyers of gluten-free products said they did so for some sort of health reason.
Many nutritionists and doctors admit that going gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean someone will lose weight, and whether it’s healthier for people is still up to much debate as well. However, the perception of both is out there and food manufacturers have been more willing to increase their gluten-free offerings.