Nearly A Third Of American Adults Adhere To Gluten-Free Diet

Despite advisories from scientists that only people with severe allergic reactions to the protein gluten need buy gluten-free products, increasing numbers of American adults are cutting gluten from their diets, according to the NPD Group. Nearly 30 percent of U.S. adults are avoiding gluten, making it “the health issue of the day”. The trend has affected the restaurant industry: the number of consumers ordering gluten- or wheat-free products has doubled in the past four years. That adds up to more than 200 million restaurant visits in 2012. NPD Group advises restaurants to respond to this opportunity by training staff to accurately answer customer questions and use symbols on menus and menu boards to highlight gluten-free items.