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Skepticism Regarding Vaccine and Gluten-Free Food Safety Among Patients with Celiac Disease and Non-celiac Gluten Sensitivity

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Abstract

Background

There has been a marked increase in the adoption of the gluten-free (GF) diet.

Aims

To query individuals with celiac disease (CD) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) on their beliefs toward the health effects of gluten, and safety of vaccines and GF food products.

Methods

We distributed a Web-based survey to individuals with CD and NCGS on a CD center e-mail list. We used univariate and multivariate analysis to compare responses of respondents with CD and NCGS.

Results

The overall response rate was 27% (NCGS n = 217, CD n = 1291). Subjects with NCGS were more likely than those with CD to disagree with the statement that “vaccines are safe for people with celiac disease” (NCGS 41.3% vs. CD 26.4% (p < 0.0001), and were more likely to decline vaccination when offered (30.9 vs. 24.2%, p = 0.007). After adjusting for age and gender, NCGS subjects were more likely than CD subjects to avoid genetically modified (GMO) foods (aOR 2.30; 95% CI 1.71–3.10), eat only organic products (aOR 2.87; 95% CI 2.04–4.03), believe that the FDA is an unreliable source of information (aOR 1.82, 95% CI 1.26–2.64), and believe a GF diet improves energy and concentration (aOR 2.52; 95% CI 1.86–3.43).

Conclusions

Subjects with NCGS were more likely than those with CD to have doubts about vaccine safety and believe in the value of non-GMO and organic foods. Our findings suggest that the lack of reliable information on gluten and its content in food and medications may reinforce beliefs that result in a detriment to public health.

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Abbreviations

CD:

Celiac disease

FDA:

Food and drug administration

GMO:

Genetically modified food

NCGS:

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Celiac Disease Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Loren G. Rabinowitz, Haley M. Zylberberg, Peter H. R. Green & Benjamin Lebwohl

  2. Department of Philosophy and Religion, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA

    Alan Levinovitz

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Melissa S. Stockwell

  4. Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Melissa S. Stockwell

  5. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Benjamin Lebwohl

  6. The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, 180 Fort Washington Avenue, Suite 936, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Loren G. Rabinowitz, Haley M. Zylberberg, Peter H. R. Green & Benjamin Lebwohl

Authors
  1. Loren G. Rabinowitz
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  2. Haley M. Zylberberg
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  3. Alan Levinovitz
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  4. Melissa S. Stockwell
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  5. Peter H. R. Green
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  6. Benjamin Lebwohl
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Correspondence to Benjamin Lebwohl.

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Rabinowitz, L.G., Zylberberg, H.M., Levinovitz, A. et al. Skepticism Regarding Vaccine and Gluten-Free Food Safety Among Patients with Celiac Disease and Non-celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Dig Dis Sci 63, 1158–1164 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-017-4879-1

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