• Noé Ontiveros, Cecilia Ivonne Rodríguez-Bellegarrigue, Gerardo Galicia-Rodríguez, Marcela de Jesús Vergara-Jiménez, Elia María Zepeda-Gómez, Jesús Gilberto Arámburo-Galvez, Martina Hilda Gracia-Valenzuela, and Francisco Cabrera-Chávez.
• División de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Sonora, Navojoa, Sonora 85880, Mexico. noeontiveros@gmail.com.
• Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Apr 18; 15 (4).

AbstractGluten-related disorders are not considered of relevance at public health level in Central America. The prevalence of gluten-related disorders, and adherence to a gluten-free diet, remain unknown in the Central American region. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of the Central American population from San Salvador, El Salvador, to estimate the prevalence rates of self-reported gluten-related disorders and adherence to a gluten-free diet. 1326 individuals were surveyed. Self-reported prevalence rates were (95% Confidence Interval): gluten sensitivity 3.1% (2.3–4.2); physician-diagnosed celiac disease 0.15% (0.04–0.5); wheat allergy 0.75% (0.4–1.3); non-celiac gluten sensitivity 0.98% (0.5–1.6). The prevalence rate of adherence to a gluten-free diet was 7.0% (5.7–8.5). Seven self-reported physician diagnosed gluten-sensitive cases informed the co-existence of non-celiac gluten sensitivity with celiac disease and/or wheat allergy. Among the non-self-reported gluten sensitivity individuals following a gluten-free diet, 50% reported that they were seeing a health professional for gluten-free dietary advice. Gluten sensitivity is commonly reported in Salvadoran population, but some health professionals acknowledge the coexistence of wheat allergy, celiac disease, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Among studies at population level, the prevalence of adherence to a gluten-free diet in Salvadoran population is the highest reported until now. However, just a few of the gluten-free diet followers were doing it for health-related benefits; the others reported weight control and the perception that the diet is healthier as the main motivation for adopting such a diet.

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