Assessment of Nutritional Adherence in Adult Patients With Celiac Disease Using The Celiac Diet Adherence Test: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Aim: Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten in genetically predisposed individuals, necessitates lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet for optimal health and management. This study aimed to assess adherence to a gluten-free diet among individuals with celiac disease.

Material and Methodː Forty-four participants (female: 53.5%; male: 45.5%), with a mean age of 33.9±9.9 years and belonging to the Life with Celiac Association, were included. An online questionnaire was administered to collect participants’ sociodemographic information, body mass index (BMI), and celiac-related symptoms. The Celiac Diet Adherence Test (CDAT) was conducted to evaluate adherence to gluten-free diet.

Resultsː Participants had a median BMI of 22.7 kg/m², and the median CDAT score was 13.5. According to CDAT, 45.5% of participants demonstrated inadequate adherence to the gluten-free diet, 29.5% exhibited good, 18.2% had poor, and 6.8% showed excellent adherence. Single individuals had a median CDAT score of 15, whereas married individuals had a score of 11 (p=0.048). Participants with excellent adherence reported no celiac-related symptoms, whereas those with good, inadequate, and poor compliance experienced symptoms such as fatigue, diarrhea, gas, and bloating.

Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the importance of continuous nutritional support in the management of celiac disease, where almost half of adult celiac individuals have difficulty complying with the only treatment option, the gluten-free diet.