Gluten: facts and figures

1. In 2011-12, 17% of Australians aged 2 years or over (3.7 million people) reported avoiding a food due to allergy or intolerance.*

2. Coeliac Awareness Week runs from 13-20 March.

3. Does wheatgrass contain gluten? While pre-manufactured or powdered wheatgrass can still contain gluten, home-grown wheatgrass is 100% gluten free and safe.

4. Environmental factors play an important role in triggering coeliac disease in infancy, childhood or later in life.

5. Coeliac disease affects 1% of Australians, though only one in five of those may know they have it.

6. People of all ages, male and female, can be affected by coeliac disease.

7. In 2011-12, food avoidance due to allergy or intolerance was most prevalent among males aged 31-50 years (17%) and females aged 51-70 years (25%). Gluten was the second most common type reportedly causing intolerance, exceeded by cow’s milk/dairy.*

8. Gluten sensitivity is different to coeliac disease, even though some of the symptoms are the same.

9. The crossed grain symbol is internationally recognised by those who follow a gluten free diet.

10. In 2014, ‘what is gluten’ was the fourth most popular searched for item on Google Search, beating searches to find out what Tinder, Tumblr and Cilantro are.

*Source: Australian Health Survey: Nutrition First Results - Food and Nutrients, 2011-12