I meant celibacy disease, stupid computer.
That's 3.54% of the population in this country. When a family has a single member with coeliac or wheat gluten intolerance that means the diets of all the others will be limited ~ since the impact of a mistake is so devastating.
That gets you up to 10% affected in some way and at that point the folks who run grocery stores and package food start getting really concerned.
But let's go beyond that a bit ~ there are related problems. Many of the folks with what's called autism also have something called leaky bowel syndrome. little teeny tiny holes show up in their bowels and allow the entry of peptides that would otherwise be prevented from entry into the blood stream. It's not coeliac but the treatment is the same ~ avoid foods with the same problematic peptides found in wheat, barley and rye. That's another 4 or 5% of the population restricting family diets due to the ailment of a single member.
You encounter a 15% situation (Combined coeliac and autism) and groceries do more than get concerned ~ they PANIC!!!!!
Beer marketers shed tears and vinters leap for show.
Up until some time in the 1930s it was believed that Cystic Fibrosis (CF) AND Coeliac were the same disease. Some of the dietary restrictions are still in order with both. But either condition will create intense concern over what the children eat and that affects the bottom line at Safeway and Giant in ways you almost can't imagine. I think Wal-mart is still a gluten free holdout ~ last thing they'll do is start selling $3.50 loaves of bread to a minority.