Medical experts are issuing warnings about placing children on a gluten-free diet without first consulting a physician, according to a report on CBS News, saying the diet could do more harm than good for youngsters.
A paper published in The Journal of Pediatrics is saying there is a side of the gluten-free diet that is not always readily available to families and pediatricians, according to Dr. Norelle R. Reilly, who is a pediatric gastroenterologist at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.
Dr. Reilly says there are a number of misconceptions about going gluten free, especially that there are no disadvantages to a gluten-free diet and for those who don’t suffer from celiac disease or gluten sensitivity or wheat allergy, there are no documented health benefits. Reilly adds the diet may also lead to lack of nutrition and caloric intake if the diet is not properly supervised.
Jennifer Willoughby, pediatric dietician at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, concurs. “Especially in a young child, when we’re looking at removing basically an entire food group from the diet, if there aren’t enough appropriate substitutions in there, we run the risk of poor growth, malnutrition and missing out on a lot of their necessary vitamins and minerals. They lose out on a lot of B vitamins, a lot of iron, and fiber if the diet is not followed in a proper way.”
It has been estimated about one percent of all Americans have celiac disease, a disorder that leads to damage to the small intestine, but the number has increased recently, possibly due to greater awareness and detection capabilities. But, experts say, millions of people are adhering the diet event though there is no medical reason for doing so. A recent survey revealed the most common answers for what motivates you to go gluten-free were “no reason” and that it was believed to be a healthier option.
Dr. Reilly warns that adhering to a gluten-free diet may actually disguise an actual medical diagnosis. If you actually have celiac disease, a gluten-free diet may mask the illness, which can lead to a problems with other conditions, including autoimmune conditions and vitamin deficiencies that need to be monitored.
Reilly continues, “Gluten-free diets are appropriate for some individuals but certainly not for all. Guidance from an experienced physician or dietitian can really go a long way to sort through the abundance of information available regarding this diet.”