Gluten free foods on prescription are important for coeliac patients Feb 2011

It is recommended that 50% of the total energy intake in the UK diet is derived from carbohydrate. In the average household diet, cereal foods e.g. bread, flour, pasta etc are the major contributors to the total carbohydrate intake, as well as a range of other nutrients, and should make up around one third of everything we eat. People with coeliac disease must avoid all foods which contain gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Therefore, these individuals have to avoid many cereal-based products which are considered part of a normal, staple diet. Because of these limitations, people with coeliac disease may have a restricted and potentially unbalanced diet and could be at risk of having an inadequate intake of key nutrients such as fibre, calcium, iron and folic acid.

To help address this imbalance people with coeliac disease obtain gluten-free foods from a number of sources, including foods available on prescription. These products, in particular prescription gluten-free products, have been attributed as providing the major percentage of key nutrients in the diet of individuals with coeliac disease, highlighting their clinical importance and the need for healthcare professionals to ensure they are utilised in the dietetic treatment of coeliac disease.

 In the UK, the importance of these specialist dietetic products on prescription in the management of coeliac disease is formally recognised in guidelines for the prescribing of these products. The guidelines provide minimum recommendations for a well-balanced and varied gluten-free diet and should be used together with dietary advice from a state-registered dietitian. Guidance for the prescribing of gluten-free foods is based on:

·       Gluten-free prescribable foods providing 15% of total energy

·       A review of consumption data from the National Diet and Nutrition Surveys

·       Consideration of The ‘eatwell’ plate model- this helps demonstrate how much of what you eat should come from each of the different food groups to help maintain a healthy diet

BSNA represents companies who support patients with coeliac disease by providing a wide range of specialist dietetic products available on prescription. These specialist dietetic foods are manufactured specifically for this patient group and provide a suitable alternative to gluten-containing foods in order to help maintain dietary balance and nutritional adequacy of the diet. Specialist dietetic products are formulated from ingredients that match special dietary requirements. In addition, the specific nutritional needs of this population group are taken into account in the development of these specialist prescription products. As previously mentioned, individuals with coeliac disease are at risk of having an inadequate intake of key nutrients when following the gluten-free diet. Therefore, products are often fortified with these key nutrients, for example fibre, calcium, iron and folic acid in order to help minimise the risk of nutritional inadequacy of the diet. The provision of gluten-free foods on prescription has also been shown to aid patient compliance.

For copies of ‘Gluten-free foods: a prescribing guide’ please contact:

Glutafin                                                        Juvela                 

0800 988 2470                                               0800 783 1992

glutenfree@glutafin.co.uk                              info@juvela.co.uk