The Need Is Great

Did you know?

Celiac Disease: incidence estimated at 1 in 100 Americans with only approximately 3% diagnosed. Another way of saying this is: 110,000 Americans have been diagnosed which is only a fraction of the 3 million estimated total cases. The diagnosis rate is increasing dramatically with increased awareness and so too the need for gluten-free (GF) foods. The only treatment for Celiac Disease is the gluten-free diet. (Source: “Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic” by Dr. Peter H.R.Green, MD and Rory Jones)

Gluten-free market: marketing reports estimate 15-25% of consumers want gluten-free foods…whether they have Celiac Disease or just choose to avoid gluten for other reasons. (Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2008-08-17-gluten_N.htm)

*According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the gluten-free market will be worth close to $2.1 billion by 2010.

Obesity rates for American children per The Centers For Disease Control: 2003-2006: 12.4% for2-5 year olds, 17% for 6-11 year olds and for 17.6% for 12-19 year olds 12-19 year olds. Adults: 2005-2006 obesity for men: 33%, for women 35.3%

Food Allergies (including wheat): In the United States about 1 in 26 children were reported to have food allergies in 2007. The first federal study of this problem found about 3 million children have food allergies. (CDC report:http://www/cdc.gov.nchs 2008)

Lactose intolerance:

"In the United States, the prevalence of lactose intolerance has been estimated to be about 25% of the general population. The condition occurs in 15% of caucasian, 53% of Mexican Americans, 62% to 100% of Native Americans, 80% of African Americans, and 90% of Asian Americans."
(Source: Lactose Intolerance . Washington, DC: National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; 1994. NIH Publication No. 94-2751.)

Autistic children: As many as 1 in every 150 children in the United States develops autism or a related disorder by the age of eight.
(Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Many health professionals recommend the gluten-free/casein-free diet as a part of overall treatment to help improve the behaviors of the child with autism. As reported by The Autism research Institute at www.autism.com 66% of children on a gluten-free/casein-free diet had improved behaviors.