Frequently Asked Questions Find everything you need to know about coeliac disease, the gluten free diet and the work we do.
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What should I be doing as a patient with coeliac disease to protect me most from Coronavirus?
- Follow the latest guidance for your country (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) which is being updated on a regular basis and is the best place to go to for the latest information and guidance. Follow their advice to try and keep yourself safe.
- Make sure you follow a strict gluten free diet, which is the treatment for coeliac disease.
- We will continue to be in contact with our Health Advisory Council, a group of key health experts working in coeliac disease, who continue to advise us as the situation develops.
- Please don’t feel alone. We are here to help and we have a vibrant social media community. We have a range of services to support you on your gluten free diet.
What mobile phones will the app work on?
This app will work on iPhone models 4 and above and Android smartphones with software 6.0 and above.
We have chosen to develop the app for the iPhone and Android phones because our membership surveys indicate that these devices are the most commonly used. However, as with all technology, the situation is constantly changing and we will be monitoring trends to assess when investment in new platforms for the app is justified.
Why do you not provide product information for some brands and manufacturers?
We now provide product information and it's suitability on nearly 150,000 gluten free and mainstream products by contacting over 200 manufacturers and sourcing product information from a third party, Brandbank. If you can't find a particular brand within our services, this may be because they have not provided us with information or it might be because the product contains gluten.
If you are unsure whether you can eat particular products you can always check the label. For more information on reading labels why not check out our food labelling video, produced in association with the Food Standard Agency.
If you find that the product is suitable which isn't listed in our Food and Drink Guide, then do let us know about it and we can work towards listing the product on our website and in our Live Well Gluten Free app.
What phones will the app work on?
The app is compatible with iOS 13+ and Android 8+.
What are the tests for coeliac disease?
The first test for coeliac disease is a blood test done by your GP that looks for antibodies that the body makes in response to eating gluten. If the blood test is positive, your GP will then refer you to a hospital specialist (gastroenterologist) for an endoscopy with biopsy.
In some cases, an endoscopy might not be needed to diagnose coeliac disease. Guidelines published in June 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic recommend that some adults can be diagnosed without the need for a biopsy if they:
- are 55 years or younger
- don't need an endoscopy to rule out another condition
- have symptoms of coeliac disease
- have very high antibody levels (if IgA tTG is at least 10 times the upper limit of normal)
- and have a second positive antibody blood test (EMA or IgA tTG if EMA is not available)
If you have any concerns about testing, the best thing to do is to talk with your healthcare team.
You can also take Coeliac UK’s online assessment to find out if your symptoms may be caused by coeliac disease.
What is gluten free wheat starch?
Gluten free wheat starch is a specially produced ingredient where the gluten has been removed to a trace level. It is used by some manufacturers to improve the quality and texture of gluten free products. It must always appear in the ingredients list if it has been used.
Foods containing wheat starch that are labelled gluten free are suitable for all people with coeliac disease. In the past, the Codex standard for labelling for gluten free foods was 200 parts per million, a level that people with coeliac disease could not always tolerate. The law on gluten free must contain no more than 20 ppm. This means that gluten free foods that contain wheat starch should no longer cause a problem for people with coeliac disease.
Foods that contain wheat starch are highlighted with a blue triangle in the Food and Drink Guide.
If you should have any concern about including products with wheat starch in your diet please speak with your health professional.
How common is coeliac in children?
One in 100 children in the UK have coeliac disease, but most children are undiagnosed.
Can a child grow out of coeliac disease?
No, coeliac disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition.
Can you have coeliac disease if your parents don't have it?
Yes, you can.