| "bottom-link"> | | | | was 470,000 searches. With 79% internet usage |
| | | | and 65% Google share, this converts to an |
| The US has one of the worst diagnosis rates of | | | | estimated 911,000 searches per month. If there |
| developed countries. Gluten Free Foods are made | | | | are only 35,000 diagnosed celiacs (20% of total |
| for people who are celiac or gluten intolerant. | | | | celiacs) in Australia this would mean that they |
| Because symptoms are so diverse this disease | | | | perform 26 searches each per month each! |
| often goes undetected and undiagnosed by | | | | As the 1 in 100 statistic takes into account celiac |
| Doctors. But first you may be interested in what | | | | babies, the elderly and people who do not use the |
| the odds are that you may have the disease and | | | | internet (but have access) the number of celiacs |
| not know it. Or why it took so long for you to be | | | | actually searching is less than those diagnosed. So |
| diagnosed. Level of undiagnosed "Celiac Disease" | | | | the ones that actually search perform an even |
| people in America | | | | higher search than the average estimated. But 26 |
| One references estimates that "1 in 133 people in | | | | searches per month (or higher) by celiacs is most |
| the US have celiac disease" It also cites a study | | | | likely unrealistically high. It is more likely that this |
| that was conducted to "assess the number of | | | | number is reduced by the searches performed by |
| undiagnosed cases of celiac disease due to a lack | | | | gluten free businesses and gluten intolerant people. |
| of awareness and inadequate training among | | | | At the Melbourne gluten free shown in October |
| primary care physicians. Researchers found that | | | | 2008 approximately 10,000 people attended over |
| when doctors tested all of their patients with | | | | three days. Yet from the above estimates, only |
| symptoms associated with celiac disease the | | | | about 8,000 people in Melbourne are diagnosed |
| diagnostic rate increases 32- to 43-fold" (ref 6). | | | | celiacs. Empirically (from our stand at the show) it |
| "The projected number of people in the United | | | | is likely that family members without CD and |
| States with celiac disease could be as high as | | | | gluten intolerant' people may have made up to |
| three million, yet only a small fraction of these | | | | 80% of the visitors to the show. If this is the |
| cases has been correctly diagnosed and treated". | | | | case, then the number of diagnosed celiac people |
| (ref 6) | | | | online searches each month should be reduced by |
| Another article written in 2004 suggests that the | | | | about 80% to account for gluten intolerant people |
| average time from symptoms to diagnosis in | | | | and business searches. This reduces diagnosed |
| America was ten years. It cites variances in the | | | | celiac to 26 x 20% = 5.2 searches per month. |
| number of celiacs (diagnosed and undiagnosed) in | | | | Using Google data estimates the Australian |
| difference countries - Italy celiac disease is | | | | adjusted celiac searches per month at 4.2 |
| suggested to be as 1 in 250 people, while Ireland | | | | searchers per month. When the e-demand of |
| only 1 in 300 people. However it is "estimated that | | | | various countries is compared to a country's 'GDP |
| only one in 4,700 people in America are actually | | | | per person' a logarithmic relationship exists |
| diagnosed with celiac disease. Yet according to | | | | between demand and wealth. Higher wealth also |
| evidence researched by the NIH report, | | | | most likely being associated with higher diagnosis. |
| prevalence may be as high as 1 in 105 people!"(ref | | | | UK level of un-diagnosed Celiac disease |
| 7). This would suggest that five years ago that | | | | In the GFP Global Matrix article, The UK was |
| only 2.2% of celiacs were diagnosed in America. | | | | estimated to have a celiac search value of 2.2 |
| This lower level of diagnosis could be the reason | | | | searches per celiac per month, which while lower |
| that in a previous articles on the gluten free | | | | than America and Australia is still well ahead of |
| pages site estimated adjusted celiac searches in | | | | Germany (0.3), France (0.8) and Italy (0.9). |
| America at 2.7 searches per celiac per month - | | | | One reference estimates that "at least 1 in 100 |
| much less than Australia's value of 4.2. | | | | people in the UK suffers from celiac disease. |
| Level of Diagnosis in Australia | | | | However, only 12.5% of people with the disease |
| In Australia the celiac society states that 1% of | | | | are actually being correctly diagnosed. Recent |
| the population has celiac disease. Although they | | | | research showed that the average length of time |
| suggest that only 20% of these people have | | | | taken for someone to be diagnosed with celiac |
| been diagnosed. (ref 1). The Australian | | | | disease from the onset of their symptoms is 13 |
| Gastroenterology institute states that in Australia | | | | years. (ref 8) |
| the diagnosis level is somewhere between one in | | | | All of these facts suggest a massive global |
| 500 to one in 2000 people (ref 4). Taking the | | | | under-diagnosis of celiac disease. Other original |
| higher level of 20% diagnosis, this means that in | | | | articles on this site suggest that the long term |
| Australia (population 21,550,000, Jan 2009) that | | | | symptoms of this disease greatly distroy the |
| 215,000 people are most likely celiac but 170,000 | | | | quality of life for those who acquire it. Fast and |
| people don't know it. Note that gluten intolerant | | | | accurate diagnosis is critical, and if you suspect |
| people may increase the amount of people | | | | that you suffer from some of the symptoms, |
| seeking Gluten Free solutions by a factor of three | | | | diagnosing or ruling out the disease is vital. Please |
| or four times the Total Celiac values. | | | | see our article on Symptoms and our article on |
| In December 2008, the top 200 search terms on | | | | Diagnosis options if you believe you may need |
| Google Australia, related to gluten free products | | | | help. |