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GLUTEN-FREE CONFERENCE CATERS TO THOSE ON SPECIAL DIETS
New Study Finds Gluten Intolerance More Common Than Originally Believed

DENVER, CO: GIG Annual Education Conferences, June 6-8, 2003.

Imagine sitting down to dinner at the typical conference banquet and not being able to eat anything on the table: …rolls...breaded chicken…creamed vegetables…or that delicious-looking cake.

That’s the situation faced by 10-15% of Americans because they can’t eat gluten, a protein found in wheat and other related grains such as barley, rye, and spelt. This makes eating out difficult because most American foods are made with wheat.

But that won’t be the case when the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America holds its annual conference in Denver next June, says Cynthia Kupper, RD, spokesperson for the national association.

”During the three-day conference, guests will dine on all their favorite foods––prepared safely and deliciously without wheat or any gluten-containing ingredients by a hotel chef who understands the gluten-free diet,” says Kupper, who helped create the gluten-free dietary guidelines recommended by the American Dietetic Association and works with restaurants such as the Outback Steakhouse to assure gluten-free choices on their menus.

“Guests will also have the chance to dine at three restaurants that acknowledge the growing demand for gluten-free food and feature gluten-free items on their menus: Maggiano’s Little Italy, Outback Steakhouse, and Assignments at the School of Culinary Arts.”  Kupper applauds these restaurants––and the conference hotel, the Hyatt Regency Tech Center––for helping people with special diets enjoy a safe dining experience.

According to Kupper, “Interest in the gluten-free diet is rising steadily due to better detection of celiac disease which afflicts 1:133 Americans, according to a study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine by Dr. Alessio Fasano, from the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine. This prevalence rate of celiac disease is far higher than experts originally predicted.

Ironically, celiac disease is considered the nation’s most common inherited autoimmune disorder yet is also called “the most common disease no one knows about.” Physicians are not typically trained to look or test for it and patients don’t associate their symptoms with a disease they’ve never heard of.

Celiacs must avoid gluten because it prevents absorption of nutrients in food — leading to anemia, osteoporosis, infertility, chronic fatigue, and other complications. There is no cure for the condition––except a gluten-free diet for life––and there is no pill, vaccine, or surgical procedure for it either.

Others, who will attend the conference avoid gluten, yet don’t have celiac disease. Instead, they have food intolerances in which wheat causes symptoms that compromise their quality of life with annoying — though rarely life-threatening — headaches, rashes, stomach aches, sinus problems, and fatigue.

The conference will also offer sessions for parents of autistic children who follow gluten-free diets as part of their overall treatment plan.

In addition to dining on gluten-free food, attendees will learn the latest gluten-free research from nationally recognized medical authorities such as Dr. Peter Green. They’ll learn about avoiding hidden gluten, getting the proper diagnosis, and helping families adjust to the gluten-free lifestyle.

The conference has a special program for children featuring age-specific (ages 5-15+) educational and entertainment activities that help them understand the gluten-free diet, with emphasis on helping them eat safely.

The children’s menu will include gluten-free kid’s food such as pancakes, hotdogs, pizza, and macaroni and cheese–-favorites that are otherwise taboo because they contain wheat. Day care is provided for children under five.

For more information about the conference, to see the brochure on-line, to register, or to offer your help as a volunteer at the conference, see www.gluten.net .Or call 206.246.6652 to have a brochure mailed to you.
Register by May 1 to receive the early-bird discount.

GIG also offers two programs for health care professionals – Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes: An Update, is co-sponsored by GIG, CDF and The Children’s Hospital in Denver. On June 6, 2003 physicians and allied health professionals will learn about the connection between CD and diabetes. Dietitians and nutritionists will also have the opportunity to learn about the gluten-free diet in “The Gluten- Free Diet: An In-depth Review”. Both programs offer professional continuing education credits.

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