Two Surveys Indicate Gluten-Free Diets May Be on the Wane

Two recent surveys make a small case that gluten avoidance and gluten-free diets may be on the wane.

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) annually takes a Food & Health Survey. In a question about following a diet or eating pattern, 6% of this year’s respondents said they were eating gluten-free; that’s down from 9% in last year’s survey and 7% in surveys from 2018-2020.

The IFIC survey was an online survey of 1,022 Americans ages 18 to 80; it took place between April 3 and April 10 of this year.

A similar drop was seen in the Oldways Whole Grains Council’s 2023 Whole Grain Consumer Insights Survey. "Significantly" fewer people said they always avoid gluten: 5% in 2023, compared with 8% in 2021. Only 1.33% of respondents say they avoid gluten entirely due to a medical diagnosis, which tracks with the estimated prevalence of celiac disease in the general population.

“About half of American consumers have some idea what gluten is, but very few (8%) can fully define it correctly,” the council’s report said. “Although one-quarter of consumers told us they have cut back on gluten somewhat, 94% of people say they eat gluten some or all of the time, meaning that they are not following a true gluten-free diet. This year, significantly more people said they do not avoid gluten than did in 2021 (70% in 2023, compared with 66% in 2021).”

The Whole Grains Council report is from an online survey of 1,500 Americans, ages 18 to 89, nationally census-representative for age, gender, race/ethnicity, region and income. The survey was conducted from May 23 to June 7.