Wheat sensitivity, gluten-free diet adherence and UK sales trends
What it found
In people with self-reported non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity, long-term adherence to a gluten-free diet was poor.
Gluten-free product sales in the UK rose from £214 m in 2014 to £607 m in 2024.
What they found
Studies in people
Diet adherence
Among the 111 patients who answered, 73.9% had a Biagi score of 0-1, meaning poor adherence to a gluten-free diet. Only 24.3% had a score of 3-4, meaning good adherence.
Compared with coeliac patients
Coeliac patients stuck to a gluten-free diet much more closely. 90.1% had a Biagi score of 3-4, compared with 24.3% of those with non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity.
Seeking medical advice
After being discharged, 36% (40 people) sought further medical advice. There was no significant link between how well they stuck to the diet and whether they needed more help.
Other findings
Gluten-free sales rise
UK sales of gluten-free products rose from £214 m in 2014 to £607 m in 2024. People with non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity made up 9.7% of buyers.
What the authors conclude
“The long-term GFD adherence is poor.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that although previous data suggests a drop in referrals to secondary care, up to 9.7% of people are eating gluten-free to treat self-reported non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity.
- They conclude that long-term adherence to a gluten-free diet is poor.
How it was done
Diagnoses of non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity appear to have declined after the COVID-19 pandemic. A gluten-free diet is the only management approach, but long-term adherence and outcomes are unclear.
They looked at UK market data on gluten-free product sales through September 2024 and shopper insights through July 2021. They also asked 186 patients with self-reported non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity, diagnosed between 2006 and 2018 at a tertiary center, to complete a follow-up questionnaire about their diet and need for medical advice. Of these, 111 completed it, and their diet adherence was compared with a matched group of coeliac disease patients.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study followed people who already had a diagnosis, so it cannot show what causes non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity.
- It cannot show whether poor diet adherence leads to worse health outcomes over time.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Ferrara, Italy; University of Sheffield Medical School, UK
The paper
- Title
- Trends in non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity: a self-managed problem?
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Manza F, Raju SA, Harrop RM, et al (2025). Trends in non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity: a self-managed problem?. Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology. doi:10.1080/00365521.2025.2554346PubMed 40904060DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error