Gluten Free Living - Shopping

Shopping at the grocery store provides hundreds of options to help you shop for your gluten free diet. There are many products to sift through and sometimes it can be difficult to understand where to find what you want. The most common question is: what departments should I avoid altogether?

As you know, every supermarket is divided in various departments. Right now I would like to dissect each department and what to look for when shopping for your grocery's. Some areas are better than others when trying to find gluten free food.

Gluten Free, Health Food or Natural Section: Many of the bigger supermarkets now have a section that is entirely tailored to people seeking a gluten free diet. This is a great place to start shopping. You may be able to cross off many items on your list.

Produce: This is another department where you will be able to find many items that are gluten free. You can probably go through this department with little effort and won't have to worry about products that have gluten. The other benefit is the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the more healthy you will feel. Be sure to research what produce items are safe and those that aren't.

Dairy: The dairy department is a great place to shop when looking for gluten free food. Most products in this department are gluten free including milk, eggs, butter, real (not processed) cheese and many yogurts.

Meat, Fish and Poultry: These items are almost always gluten free but be sure to avoid items that are breaded, seasoned or marinated. If you have questions don't be afraid to ask the meat manager or read the label. Gluten intolerance id becoming more and more common so the manager should be able to answer your questions. When starting out though, buy plain, fresh cut, unseasoned meat products.

Deli: Most cold cuts are gluten free and often have a label to indicate so. Typically, meat products that aren't flavored or spiced will be safe to eat. It is wise to check the status of a product online before buying or ask a manager if you aren't sure.

Grocery Department: This is where you need to be especially diligent. Many of the regular items found on the shelves are processed and contain gluten. The easiest way to determine the status of a certain food is to read the label. If it is gluten free, a company will almost always proudly display it on the box. If you aren't sure read the ingredients to find out.

Starting with foods that are likely to be gluten free such as:
plain canned fruit, vegetables, beans and legumes
plain white or brown rice (including enriched)
salad dressing, peanut butter or jam
juice, soda
unflavored coffee and tea
tomato sauce
plain canned fish or tuna
tortillas, potato chips, rice cakes or plain nuts

Frozen Food: Much like the regular aisles in the grocery store, many items found in the frozen food department are also processed foods. Always read the label before making a purchase. There are many items that are gluten free but you must be diligent when reading the ingredients. Here are a few items that are safe to buy and contain no gluten:

Ice cream, frozen yogurt, and ice pops
Frozen plain fruits and vegetables

It's important to read labels before you buy. It may seem troublesome when you first start trying to implement your gluten free diet, but the more you become accustomed to shopping for these items, the easier it will become. If you would like more information about gluten free living please visit our site to get a free Microbook.



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Gluten Free Weight Loss

best diet gluten free: In order to minimize the symptoms of celiac disease, many people consume foods which are gluten free. That is why a lot of people learn to follow this way of dieting thinking that it will help them. Those who suffer from this disease can no longer absorb nutrients from the food they eat. As a result, they lose weight rapidly even before the doctors give their diagnosis.

best gluten free diet weight loss plan: Many experts believe that eating foods which do not contain this protein can help you in attaining weight reduction. Many celebrities have also chosen the best gluten free diet weight loss plan just because of this. According to an expert you will be able to lose some pounds by not consuming baked foods which contain high amount of gluten and fat.

gluten free diet weight loss: Eating food which help your small intestine absorb nutrients is extremely important. The best gluten free diet weight loss means you only consume what is helpful to your body. By doing this, you will be able to get the ideal body weight. In addition to the food mentioned above, you need to avoid baked products because they also contain an enormous amount of gluten and fats.

The weight-loss foods that are gluten-free can include frozen vegetables and fruits, some dairy products like cheese, eggs and products that do not contain thickening agents and additives. Starches and flours made of buckwheat, tapioca, corn, rice and soybeans can also be included in this type of diet. In the liquid; mineral water, spirits, tea and coffee can be used.

Cereal products that are made of rice bran, corn, lentil flour, amaranth, polenta and psyllium as well as canned meat products without sauce and processed meat products can be included in the diet. In the condiments variety one can include salad dressings, tahini, cocoa, vinegar, honey, tomato paste and jam. As healthy snacks one can eat corn chips, plain chocolate and popcorn.

Before you follow this kind of diet, you need to take extra precautions. Consult your doctor first so that he or she can provide you with medically sound advice. Avoid making a self-diagnosis when it comes to weight loss diets. Most of all, be careful when you shop for food which are packaged as wheat free. Most of these food are actually rich in protein. Most processed food which are made out of modified starch are rich in gluten as well. To get the best result, gluten free diet weight loss involves should be done with proper medical consultation and proper food intake.



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Making Gluten Free Easy

Eight years ago, when I found out I had gluten intolerance, I ate my last bowl of wheat pasta with all the solemnity of somebody taking her last meal, curled into a ball and cried. Not only would I have to give up staples like pasta and bread but I would no longer be able to eat my favorite food in the world: Pizza.

Eating like a caveman (think meat, vegetables and an apple for dessert) may have been healthy, but it was definitely boring. Thankfully, after doing some online research, I was able to find a great place where I could order gluten free food. It opened a whole new world of possibilities for me but the shipping costs took quite a toll on my monthly budget.

The great news is, most of the foods that had to be ordered online years ago are now widely available not only in health food stores but in grocery chains country-wide. If youre just finding out you need a special diet now, this list of ten gluten free alternatives to foods you already eat should make going gluten free easy!

Tinkyada Rice Pasta Some gluten free pastas have a bit of a stale taste and texture. With Tinkyada, you dont have to worry about that. Its great flavor and light, fluffy texture will make the transition from wheat pasta to rice quite easy. Even those who dont require a gluten-free diet will enjoy it!

Samis Millet & Flax Bread It used to be that gluten free bread came in two flavors: cardboard or wood. Samis Millet & Flax Bread is as soft and flavorful as those others arent. Its hands-down the best Ive ever tried. Just keep it frozen and when youre read to use it, pop it in the toaster oven for a minute or two before adding the butter or sandwich fixings.

Mini Recipe:Get the hamburger buns, open one up and top with your favorite gluten free pasta sauce and toppings and bake on 300 degrees for about ten minutes or until crispy. This is a great make-shift pizza.

Vans Gluten Free Toaster Waffles These waffles taste so much like traditional waffles, youll find yourself checking the box once or twice to be sure what youre eating is actually gluten free! They come in different flavors too: Plain, Blueberry and Apple Cinnamon.

GlutenFreedas Instant Oatmeal I always thought that oats were stricken from a gluten free diet but because of the way this brand is processed, I could finally start eating one of my favorite breakfast foods again! Its prepared just like traditional oatmeal, tastes great and comes in Maple Raisin, Banana Maple and Apple Cinnamon.

Blue Diamond Nut Thins Got cheese? Then this is the cracker worthy of the topping. Some rice crackers are thin and crumble easily but not these. They have a rich, buttery texture and come in eight tasty flavors to dress up or eat alone.

Pamelas Cookies If you love cookies and milk, try Pamelas. Unlike some gluten free cookies, Pamelas have an inviting chewy texture, are made with organic ingredients and come in a wide variety of flavors.

Amys Gluten Free Cheese Pizza One of the trickiest dishes to get right when youre going gluten free is pizza. If you dont have the time to make one from scratch at home, I recommend Amys. Its quick, easy and has a tasty flavor. Just bake it in the oven for about 15 minutes and enjoy.

Amys Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese Macaroni & cheese is my favorite comfort food so I was so happy when I found Amys. Its rich, creamy and delicious and Ive been told you cant tell the difference between it and those containing gluten. When you cook it in the oven, instead of the microwave, it gets a nice brown crisp at the top. Yum!

Raw Revolution Breakfast Bars I actually have a few favorites when it comes to gluten free breakfast bars but I picked these because they are not processed, but organic, live food. They come in six flavors and my personal favorites are raspberry and chocolate and chocolate and coconut. Im not fond of the spirulina and cashew. Its got a slimy texture and strange, saccharine sweetness to it that lingers.

Mr. Spice Condiments I like Mr. Spice condiments because theyre organic and offer a lot of variety. If youre looking for something new and interesting, this brand offers nine different flavors from barbeque sauce to Indian curry. My personal favorite is the garlic steak sauce. I use it mixed with plain yogurt for a unique, creamy topping on rice pasta.

There are a lot more gluten free products I love but the ones Ive suggested above, in my opinion, are the ones that taste the most like their gluten-based counterparts. This might make the transition to gluten free eating easier for you and your family.

I wish you the best in your adventures in the gluten free world. Gluten free living can be tough, but it can also be a chance to get creative!

Note: I am not receiving compensation to endorse any of the above products. Theyre just my personal favorites.

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Best Way To Lose Belly Fat And Reduce Belly Fat With Ab Training

Warning: 2 Worst Foods That Make You Fat One May Shock You

The 2 fattening foods that Im going to talk about in this article may actually shock you most people falsely believe these 2 foods are healthy. In all of my years working as a Certified Nutrition Specialist, this usually surprises people when I mention they should consider eliminating these foods from their diet.

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Everybody these days knows how bad trans fats and high fructose corn syrup are for you, so I figured Id spare you yet another lecture on those Instead, read on to see a couple foods that may shock you that they may be packing on the blubber.

The first type of food that is often falsely believed to be healthy is wheat products this includes most breads, cereals, bagels, muffins, pasta, crackers, and so on. And yes, I am including whole wheat in the category of this fattening food.

First of all, a large percentage of the population has some degree of intolerance to the gluten in wheat and some other grains. Full blown celiacs are the most sensitive to it, but what most people dont realize is that the majority of the population was never meant to eat large quantities of wheat. The human digestive system has never adapted to large amounts of wheat in the diet.

The introduction of wheat into the human diet has only been in the last couple thousand years, and it has NEVER been in such large quantities in the human diet until the last 80-100 years. This is a small time frame compared to the traditional diet that the human digestive system developed over several hundred thousand years eating a hunter-gatherer diet of meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

From my experience with many of my clients, when they heed my advice and eliminate wheat from their diet for 2-3 weeks to see if they start to lose weight and feel better, this almost always makes a HUGE difference. Many times, they not only start losing body fat much faster, but they also finally get rid of headaches and indigestion that has plagued them for years. Sometimes even skin problems go away when eliminating wheat from the diet.

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The 2nd example of the worst fattening foods that shocks many people because it is thought to be healthy is fruit juice.

Dont get me wrong, Im not an anti-carb advocate per se I actually think most fruits are VERY healthy for us. However, we were NOT meant to separate the juice from the rest of the fruit and only drink the high calorie sugary mixture and leave behind the fiber and other beneficial components of the fruit.

When you only drink the juice of fruits (apple juice and orange juice being 2 of the worst culprits in the western diet), you are not getting the appetite satisfying effect of the fiber in the fruit, and youre left craving more carbs. Also, the fiber in whole fruit helps to slow the blood sugar response when eating whole fruit compared to fruit juice.

Bottom line overconsuming fruit juices makes you fat. On the other hand, eating whole fruits including all of the fiber helps you maintain a healthy balanced diet and high nutrient density (as long as the rest of your diet is whole unprocessed foods as well).

If you want the REAL truth on eating strategically for permanent fat loss, read these 5 tips for Losing Body Fat the smart and effective way.

Enjoy, and good luck with your nutrition endeavors!

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Gluten Free foods are the fastest growing food category since 2004, see the growth forecasts up to 2012!

In short, a Nielson Co. report reveals that revenues from items labelled gluten-free have soared almost 20 percent in the past year (2008) to $1.7 billion from $1.4 billion in May 2007. Sales have increased 74 percent compared with 2004. Some items, like gluten-free gum and pet food, only entered the market in 2008." ref 1

Another independent report provides similar growth projections. "The Gluten-Free Food and Beverage Market: Trends and Developments Worldwide, 2nd Edition" - from market research publisher Packaged Facts, this trend is here to stay. Packaged Facts notes that the market for gluten-free food and beverage products grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28 percent from 2004 to 2008, to finish with almost $1.6 billion in retail sales last year." Ref 2

The Packaged Facts' company forecasts that, in the coming years, they will see double-digit growth in this category due to many factors, the most important of which is the existence of more gluten-free products in the market through both product introduction and the conversion of existing products to gluten-free status. By 2012, the market is expected to reach about $2.6 billion in sales. To meet consumer demand, more than 225 marketers introduced new gluten-free products into the United States in 2008. Ref 2

According to a March 2007 survey by the market research company Mintel, 8% of the U.S. population look for gluten-free products when they shop. Nielsen Co., which tracks gluten-free food in U.S. grocery, drug and mass merchandiser stores (excluding Wal-Mart), reports that the gluten-free sector increased 20% in the 12-month period ending June 14 (2007), to $1.75 billion from $1.46 billion a year ago. Ref 3

A quick calculation suggests that an increase of 74% over three years is an average of 25% annual growth from 2004 to 2007. Interestingly, online demand for gluten free searches as analysed in another Gluten Free Pages article, shows that for five years leading up to 2009 that the US e-demand market grew annually at 42% in the US and 10% in Australia. That suggests, that growth rate of people searching online is almost double that of the growth of their actual purchases.

One reason given for the dramatic increase in gf consumption (above and beyond diagnosis levels) is that "the number of people eating gluten-free diets may be larger than the number of Celiac sufferers. Because of the intensity of the intolerance, separate ovens, toasters and other appliances can be needed to reduce contamination. So, many families of sufferers lead gluten-less lives as well." Ref 1

Regarding the price of gluten free, one article considers that being gluten free could in fact eventually be cheaper due to the exclusion of wheat and gluten grains from the diet. It points to "The United States Department of Agriculture reported that the April 2008 average price of U.S. wheat was $371 per metric ton, double the $180 per metric ton average wheat price in April 2007." (Ref 1) However a Gluten Free Pages report provides an opposite forecast and many good reasons why Gluten free products are likely to remain high cost for a long time to come.

The variety of choices is also expanding. In 2007, 700 new gluten-free products were launched in the U.S., up from 214 in 2004. Mintel projects a 15% to 25% annual growth rate for gluten-free foods over the next few years. Ref 3

WHAT GROUPS OF PEOPLE are going GLUTEN FREE

An extensive but not exhaustive list of celiac disease effects are shown in a GFP article. Some of the more serio us types are considered to be: "autism, multiple sclerosis (MS), gluten allergy, various types of gluten-sensitivities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), repetitive strain or stress injury (RSI), and irritated bowel syndrome (IBS)." Ref 2

While these are the effects of celiac disease, there are FOUR non distinct classes of people who choose a gluten free diet. The "non negotiable" group of celiac are those with the celiac gene who must remove gluten to lead a healthy life. The second group "believe the gluten-free diet may help in the treatment of autism and a host of other disorders, including schizophrenia, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, attention deficit disorder, migraine and even fertility problems. Ref 3

The THIRD group take gluten-free foods because they have gastrointestinal problems that improve when they go on a gluten-free diet. This group is said to have "gluten sensitivity," there is an immune response or associated condition e ven though the patient might not have the small-intestine findings on a biopsy to meet the criteria for celiac disease, says Dr. Eric Esrailian, director of general gastroenterology at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.

Group FOUR are said to have "Gluten intolerance," or those who experience symptoms similar to the term lactose intolerance.

WHAT ARE THE LATEST PRODUCT TRENDS?

In the US in 2009 the Natural Products Expo West, held in March at the Anaheim Convention Center had tables filled with gluten-free breads, pasta, pot pies, brownies, muffins, beer, cosmetics and even dog treats. (Ref 3) As people become more aware of the prevalence of gluten in almost every product class, they are demanding gluten free alternatives.

SO what is accelerating the use of gluten free? One source suggests that because of the intensity of the intolerance (one grain of bread causing a reaction), "separate ovens, toasters and other appliances c an be needed to reduce contamination. So, many families of sufferers lead gluten-less lives as well." Ref 1 This is similar to the reason why when only a small percentage of CD people have been diagnosed that they are bringing their whole families to gf restaurants for the sake of the one gluten free family member.

Remarkably with all of the latest research there are still articles on the net that see gluten free as a fad. This is partly due to the fad trends that the US has seen in the past. Consider that new food products labelled 'gluten-free' jumped 86% in 2008. But new low-carb product launches fell by more than half from peak levels of 2004. Ref 5. Other articles go much further with doctors still willing to offer a devils advocate' opinion to the actual existence of the disease being real. In time we expect these doctors to be converted in the same manner as some expert' doctors denied that cigarettes and asbestos were harmful or that global warming is a myth.< /p>

Cautions

And there are broader concerns. Some dieticians worry about the long-term effects of a strict gluten-free diet on those who don't need to be on it, because in avoiding foods with gluten, people may give themselves nutritional deficiencies. Those who elect to go on the diet need to watch that they get adequate amounts of B vitamins, and particularly increase folic acid ingestion.

References

ref 1: June 02, 2008 http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=91515

Ref 2: March 15, 2009 http://www.gourmetretailer.com/gourmetretailer/content_display/news/e3i68061ff8eae6a637fce99ed1d7c54d9c

Ref 3 July 7, 2008 http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-gluten7-2008jul07,0,4319882,full.story

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How Mature is the US Gluten Free Market? Comparison With Aus, Canada, Mexico & Brazil Yields the Gfp Matrix. See Why US is Tier 1 !

When analysing gluten free markets, the main question that people with celiac disease will ask is "what's in it for me"? Having an understanding of markets such as Australia and America is fundamental to understanding how many more suppliers are likely to enter the market and so drive competition and choice. If you are celiac or a gluten free supplier, these are two words that you hold dear to your heart: choice and low price. To understand how close we are to a mature market (when maximum competition drives prices down) it is useful to compare several countries and communities within these.

This analysis is based on Google search terms (for the month of Dec 08) used in the gluten free market. As Google usually has a large market share in most countries and also has specific country domains, this provides a perfect baseline to compare gluten free markets across the world.

This article is set out in the following f ormat:

Identification Of the Four Gluten Free Market Tiers


Introduction Comparison Of Communities By Their Market Tiers

The following are available in the full article on our website

FULL ANALYSIS PER COMMUNITY


Statistic Tables for each community






GFP MATRIX: Identification Of the Four Gluten Free Market Tiers

So far four market levels (TIERS) have been identified.

A fully matured gluten free market has not been reached yet due to the low diagnosis of celiac disease even in developed countries. So far, analysis has shown that the most developed gf markets are those in Australia, the US and Canada. Characteristics of the e-demand side of these are a high number of search terms and high search volumes.

Of the search terms used in tier 1 communiti es, they are typically dominated by generic gluten free terms where the first 2 to 3 terms represent over 55% of the top 50 searches. This is the case in Australia, US (English speaking) and Canada (English). It is speculated that in these countries there are a significant number of celiacs who have been diagnosed for a few years. They originally searched for information on the disease and diets required and now prefer to spend more time searching for generic gluten free terms. By doing so they have found that on the supply side of things products have been amassed in the one place. This means that by searching on generic terms they can easily find large gluten free sites that contain many gluten free products on which they can search internally for specific terms. While generic searches are large, searches on the celiac group are still the second highest and account for over 15% of the top 50 searches. Within this group two terms celiac' and celiac disease' typically account for over 85% of all searches.

The next level of market maturity (tier 2) is shown by communities like US Spanish speaking and Canadian French speaking communities. These communities are often smaller than the dominant communities (often English) in their countries but they have first world affluence available to them. They often have under 100 total search terms over a twelve month average. In this example, US Spanish has 17 search terms and Canadian French have 30. The relatively high level of affluence within these communities increases the individual's chances of being diagnosed and pursuing a often more difficult and costly gluten free diet (as compared with tier 4 markets. These second tier' communities also have a high search proportion devoted to generic gluten free terms but there is also a higher proportion of searches (than found in tier 1 markets) devoted to finding informa tion on celiac disease such as through celiac diet and/or wheat allergy searches.

The third market maturity (tier 3) is shown by communities such as Mexican English speaking (101 searches) and Brazilian English speaking (100 searches) communities. These communities are much smaller proportions of the country population than tier 2 markets. They are often much more affluent than the main population ethnicity (through education/ employment) or having come from more affluent countries such as America. They tend to not search so much for generic gluten free terms (less than 45%) but have an increase in searches for celiac diet searches and specific food groups. This pattern is indicative of newly diagnosed people (having access to good medical attention). The other main trait of this market is that it includes people who have had the disease for a while and are now seeking specialist gluten free products such as gluten free restaurants' or desserts' - rather than staple gluten free foods such as flour or breads.

The lowest developed market (tier 4) is reflected by searches in Mexico (Spanish Speaking) 24 total searches and Brazil (Portuguese speaking) 23 searches. The communities also tend to have very low searches per head of population and may not have access to good medical facilities - often a large rural population. These people have a relatively small proportion of generic searches and a much higher number of wheat free' and celiac' searches. While they also have higher search volumes for specialty gluten free foods, rather than bread searches (main specialty in refined markets) or desserts, they tend to search for even more fundamental food staples such as flour and oatmeal. Counter intuitively they also tend to search for cakes and cookies. This is not necessarily related to the countries affluence but is more likely a social phenomenon where providing good food spreads for parties and extended family gatherings account for a large part of their social interaction.

INTRODUCTION

Higher choice and lower prices will likely occur in tier 1 market countries as more celiacs are diagnosed and search for and buy more products. The development will reach maturity once the growth of the market goes through a point of inflexion in its growth and begins to plateau. Only long term monitoring of this demand can assess where that level of maturity approaches saturation.

The development of the market level definitions (tier structure) will be refined as more countries are analysed.

A practical application of this analysis for celiacs is to see what other celiacs are searching for and how developed the gluten free market is in their own countries. This article attempts to answer the question "what are the characteristics of a mature gluten free market".

This research and analysis was undertaken to see if there is a correlation between gluten free search profiles of developed nations and how this may differ from countries in close proximity to the US.

A previous article on www.glutenfreepages.com.au showed a very strong correlation between gluten free search profiles of Australia and the US. In the article you are now reading,analysis was refined to include the affect of languages, internet usage, Google market share etc. Where countries use several languages, analysis was performed on English searches and the other local language.

This research was undertaken for the month of December 2008 Google search volumes for Gluten free products and uses monthly averages over a year in countries where search volatility is high and/or search volumes low. The analysis again shows a very strong correlation between the Australian and US Gluten free markets.

One of the first indictors or market maturity is considered to be the number of gluten free' related internet searches per population divided by 100 '. This takes into consideration that approximately 1 in 100 people (diagnosed and undiagnosed) may be celiac.

TABLE: A table showing the number of monthly searches per celiac for each community is shown in the full article.

The Adjusted GF Searches per month per celiac column takes into consideration internet usage, Google market share. The values are most accurate for the first three countries, developed' nations. These countries have a long established internet usage and Google was able to provide search terms up to its self imposed limit of 200 terms. The search values for Mexico and Brazil English speaking are likely to be inflated due to sparse information on the penetration of English language in these countries and Google's translation abilities.

The most important concept in this research is the gluten free grouping profiles. As explained below, all gluten free terms were assigned to one of seven groups. The top 50 search terms were sorted into these groups and groups were analysed for number of terms, proportion of the top 50 and the specific terms within each group. While the following pages go into the details of each country a summary of the analysis is:

GRAPH: "Guten Free Product Search Term Group Proportions of TOP 50 terms" is shown in the full article.

Group Composition

The following shows some of the representative terms in each group.

Generic GF Product: This group of search terms all involve the word gluten and are generic in nature, such a gluten, gluten free, gluten free products, gluten free meals.

Gluten Diet: These are terms that are related to the specifics of gluten free diets such as: gluten free diets, celiac diet.

Gluten Free recipe: Terms such as gluten free recipes, gluten recipe, gluten free baking, wheat free baking

Celiac rel ated: These are terms related to information on the disease such as: celiac disease, gluten intolerance, gluten allergies

Wheat free: Terms such as: wheat free, wheat gluten, wheat allergy

Locations: gluten free stores, gluten free shopping, gluten free restaurant

GF Specific Foods: gluten free bread, gluten free pizza, gluten free cakes, gluten free muffins

COMPARISON of Communities by their Market Tiers

Australia, US English, Canada English.

Australian, US English speaking and Canadian English groups had very similar profiles. Each country had the generic gluten free' group as its main group with the following volume proportions: AUS 65%, US Eng 64%, Canadian Eng 63%. In each case the same gluten and gluten free' generic terms rated as the top two overall searched terms by volume.

The celiac group was the second largest volume searched by all three countries: AUS (18%), US Eng (21%), Canada Eng (21%). Each category was dominated by over 85% by the terms celiac' and celiac disease'. Dual spellings in Australia.

US Spanish, Canadian French

The graphs show that these communities are similar to the three above, at least in the proportion of the generic gluten free products' group.

One of the main things that affects the distribution profile of these communities is that US Spanish searches only comprised a total of 19 terms compared to US English that was capped by Google at 200. Per population of the American English V Spanish community, the English speaking community performed 4.2 times as many gluten free product searches as US Spanish speaking people on Google.

For the US Spanish community, the celiac' group was the highest volume proportion of any of the countries analysed. While the US and Australia searched for generic celiac' terms in this group the US Spanish search for celiac allergies'. This suggests a possible different approach to the way each country views celiac disease.

Compared to the US English, these communities also have a stronger interest in wheat issues. While the US English searched for 3 terms in this group it only made up 4% of volumes. The US Spanish searched for only one term: wheat intolerance' and it made up 18% of total search volumes. These factors suggest the US Spanish searchers are new to celiac disease and the market is immature compared to the first three countries.

The Canadian French speaking community had a similar profile to Canadian English but a much higher interest in the gluten diet' group and slightly higher interest in GF specific foods. These terms are accounted for by them looking at the specifics of what they can eat, and specific foods of gluten free oatmeal' and quinoa'. The higher interest in the diet group suggests that they are either more specialise d in their searches than their English counterparts or are earlier in the disease diagnosis stage.

Mexican English / Brazilian English

In each community English is a very small minority of the population but is massively over represented in search volumes. As Google has country specific domains in each countries main language this statistic suggest that these English communities are more aware of gluten issues, are more affluent, and potentially represent a more mature search market.

There is a strong similarity between the Mexican English and Brazil English speaking group profiles. Both communities have a significantly reduced generic search focus but a similar increases in GF specific foods and Gluten Diet information. Quite a few of the English speaking people in these countries are believed to either be affluent locals or foreigners (ex pat US).

In the Mexican English speaking community, the high est searched group is gf locations' and the highest volume terms are related to gluten free restaurants. The second highest group celiac' is dominated by several equally search volume terms that use three and four word search strings. The third group gf specific foods' is dominated by searches for desserts. This suggests a split in focus between people newly diagnosed and those who are affluent enough to regularly search for gluten free restaurants and desserts.

In the Brazil English' community there was an even stronger fascination with gluten free desserts taking up three individual search terms - the first two accounting for 9% of all searches. Coelaic (UK spelling) was the second most searched group and it contained only one term which accounted for 24% of search volumes. The highest specific food searches were for cakes and muffins, whereas in US English and Australia top specific searches were for breads.

Mexican Spanish, Brazil Portug uese.

The profiles for these communities were the most unlike the US English and Australian. The table at the beginning of this article also shows that in raw terms they had one tenth the searches per head.

Mexican Spanish differs from market 1 profiles as much by its large reduction in generic searches as its large increase in searches on wheat issues. In fact three of the top wheat free' searches accounted for 44% of top 50 volumes. This suggests a community in early stages of diagnosis and discovery. The two highest specific gf food searches were for oatmeal' and flour'. These non luxury items, low search volumes and focus on wheat free issues suggests a non affluent community searching for fixes to staple food groups.

Brazil Portuguese has a very large population but low search volumes. In fact it has nine times the population of Australia, but less than half the searches on gluten free products. While generic gluten searches were the main search group at 44% (20% less than US and AUS), its first two terms were still the same generic terms. Of most interest is that this community has the highest specific food group volume proportion of all countries. And rather than an interest in food staples, they focus on gluten free cakes (18% of top 50 searches), and cookies 10%. They also search for gluten free flour (3%) and oatmeal (2%).

With the third highest group being wheat free' and gluten allergies Brazil's market resembles the split shown in Mexico (English) between learning about celiac disease and enjoying treats. However rather than searching on restaurants, the Brazilian Portuguese interest in cakes may be seen as a cultural choice (socialising and providing family spreads) rather than an opulent choice.

GRAPH: A graph on our website shows the relationship between a tier 1 community (place that is nearing market maturity) AND a high pr oportion that its top two searches take up of the top 50 searches AND a high number of searches per (population / 100).

MORE INFORMATION:

The development of the GFP MATRIX and market level definitions (tier structure) will be refined as more countries are analysed. The above information is a summary of the full article that can be found at www.glutenfreepages.com.au To find this article, look under the menu tab Articles, then GFP Original articles'. The full report analyses each community in detail and shows graphs and statistic tables associated with each community.

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Why are Europe's Gluten Free Markets so Under-developed Compared to the Us? Google Data From Dec 08 is Used to See What They Search for …

INTRODUCTION

The concept of the GFP matrix was developed to understand what constitutes the characteristics of a mature gluten free market and how different communities approach searching for gluten free products. This article explores the differences between Australia and the US and key European communities.

So far in the research of markets there has been a relatively straight line trend on the GFP matrix for a countries gluten free market development. That is, countries in early stages of celiac detection have had a relatively low number of gluten related searches (per head of celiac population) and a low % of their gluten free searches devoted to a group classified as generic gluten free product' searches. The second highest group is usually celiac related with one or two terms taking up the majority of searches. The other groups are often a much smaller proportion of the top 50 searches.

Group Composition:

Generic GF Product: This group of search terms all involve the word gluten and are generic in nature, such a gluten, gluten free, gluten free products, gluten free meals Gluten Diet: These are terms that are related to the specifics of gluten free diets such as: gluten free diets, celiac diet. Gluten Free recipe: Terms such as gluten free recipes, gluten recipe, gluten free baking, wheat free baking Celiac related: These are terms related to information on the disease such as: celiac, celiac disease, gluten intolerance, gluten allergies Wheat free: Terms such as: wheat free, wheat gluten, wheat allergy Locations: gluten free stores, gluten free shopping, gluten free restaurant GF Specific Foods: gluten free bread, gluten free pizza, gluten free cakes, gluten free muffins

It was theorised that the high percentage of generic searches was because as markets reach higher levels of development (high searches relative to population) they increase the number of generic searches. This is because they have found that in a developed market, gluten free product websites tend to be one stop shops' where they can search for specific items inside of the site.

While most European communities show a very low number of gluten related searches and so are very undeveloped/ undiagnosed the low generic search group proportion rule doesn't hold well for many of the European countries studied. This may be because at a very low search rate there is high volatility and heterogeneous search patterns by locals, long term celiacs, newly diagnosed celiacs and foreigners. In these communities an amendment to the rule is that the high % generic searches can still exist in low search countries, however as the total generic group % increases, so does the % of one or two core generic terms inside of that groups searches, which is part of the expected GFP Matrix trend.

The trend also still holds true that in high raw search value communities there tends to be a high level of generic searches followed by the celiac group searches. And each group tends to have one or two high one or two word general terms that dominate the group.

This does not necessarily apply to Russia because its low raw search values may be artificially inflated by its low Google market share and internet penetration adjusting its search values very high. Relatively high search values in a small search population could be attributed to either very newly diagnosed voracious gluten searchers or an established diagnosed group noting that there is a stark comparison between the Russian English speaking and Russian speaking community search profiles.

SUMMARY

Compared to countries previously analysed, the Europe communities were VERY closely clustered together on the GFP Matrix. While the % of generic gluten free' terms ranged from 30% to near 90% they all fell within 0.2 to 0.8 searches (adjusted) per celiac per month range except for the UK and Russia. The lower celiac search communities typically also did not have enough terms to fill the Google search term cut off of 200 terms.

While a value of ONE search per celiac per month may seem very low, it should be considered that potentially only 10% to 20% of celiacs have been diagnosed even in highly developed countries, and of those who have been diagnosed maybe only 50% or less regularly search for gluten free terms. This could mean that even for the adjusted (values increased taking into account Google market share and internet penetration) search values calculated, the celiac search values could be only 10% of the actual current average search values of celiacs. For examples, an adjusted value of 2.2 (diagnosed and undiagnosed) searches per celiac per month' for UK celiacs could equate to 10 to 20 average searches performed each month by actual current diagnosed celiacs.

In the analysis, searches were adjusted for Google market share and internet penetration o estimate the number of celiac (divide population by 100) searches per month in two communities in most European countries local language and English. In the two highest % generic search term group communities, Germany and France, the English speaking communities used open phases such as and gluten free' and gluten free in' rather than the standard gluten' phrases that local language communities used.

The UK had the second highest per celiac' rating for Europe at 2.2 (adjusted) searches per celiac per month. This is nearly three times any other community analysed except for Russia. It also reinforced the GFP Rule that high celiac search countries tend to have a high percentage of generic gluten free group and in particular one to two very dominant generic terms.

RUSSIA has a very low Google market share and low internet penetration. But when it's raw gluten free foods searches are adjusted for this, the combined Russian celiac search value, Russian and English speaking communities, had a very similar celiac search value to Australia and the US. On a community basis, Russia - Russian Speaking', had the highest celiac search of any country/ community so far analysed.

Russian English speaking had a total of 101 terms over 244 thousand searches in December 2008, while Russian, Russian speaking, had only 23 terms over 360 thousand searches. Like Mexico and Brazil, one of the more telling features of the Russian gluten free market was a comparison between specific gluten free foods for its local (Russian) community and its English speaking community. The Russian speaking community had very sizeable searches for food staples such as gluten free bread, gluten free cake and cookies. By comparison the Russia English speaking community had relatively sizeable searches for: pizza, beer, cakes and muffins.

For South American countries previously analysed, it was speculated that searches mainly for food staples in communities suggested a relatively low economic status while high searches for relative luxury items such as beer and pizza are often searched for by more affluent longer term celiacs within a community. While cakes' rated high in both Russian communities they are often considered as a social / family gathering necessity, rather than a luxury item. Again, it would appear that the English community in Russia search for more affluent items than the main country inhabits Russian speaking Russians. There may be a correlation between learning to speak English, or being an English speaking foreigner' and higher economic wealth in Russia.

EUROPEAN COMMUNITY DETAILED ANALYSIS

UK

The largest group in the UK (English speaking) was the generic gluten free group with 10 terms comprising 51% of top 50 searches. Of the 376 thousand searches in this group the top two terms of gluten and gluten free comprised 89% of searches.

The celiac group was the second highest group at 26% of search volumes and out of its four terms, celiac and celiac disease accounted for 94% of volumes.

Wheat free group was the third highest group. Its five terms made up 12% of the top 50 searches or 86,000. The vast majority of this groups searches were from: wheat free' (49,500) and wheat gluten' 14,800 searches. This is consistent with the GFP Matrix rule of high dominance by simple search terms' in the leading groups - in high per celiac' search communities.

The fourth highest group was the specific gluten free foods' and its 13 terms made up 7% of the top 50 volumes. The top two terms were bread related (19,800) and gluten free cake (8,100).

GERMANY

Germany has a very high percentage of searches in the generic category, however it also has the lowest total number of searches per population of any community analysed in Europe. German speaking and English speaking communities in Germany also are the closest paired communities of any country. This suggests a close homogeneity for these languages in the gluten free community in Germany.

German is spoken across the country and English is taught in many schools so both languages should have relatively the same number of searches, and they do.

GERMAN, English Speaking

Has 80% of search terms in the generic group. The second highest category is gluten diet which as only 8%. In the generic group there are 18 terms accounting for 55 thousand searches out of 70,000 top 50 searches. However rather than generic terms such as gluten, gluten free foods etc the top two terms are:

"and gluten free" (27,100)

"gluten free in" (18,100)

This suggests that these terms were part of some search that may have included a specific search term such as bread or wheat etc, but was not defined by Google data.

GERMAN, German speaking

The English language in Germany had a VERY similar profile to the German speaking profile. This is quite different to the two language profiles for Mexico and Brazil discussed in previous research which had very different profiles for the different language searches. The difference here maybe that whether Germans are German or English speaking, their socio economic status is similar, and so the things they search for are very similar.

Interestingly, not only is English speaking widespread in Germany, its number of gluten search terms is actually greater than the German searches. German language searches in Germany were only a total of 75 thousand for a total of 40 terms. Of these 83% of terms were generic gluten searches. HOWEVER, unlike the English searches, they did search for the most standard generic gluten free terms such as gluten', rather than convoluted and gluten free' terms. The second highest group in this community was gluten diet' with two terms accounting for 6% of total top 50 searches.

Of the specific gluten free foods the most popular was Oatmeal (2,900).

FRANCE

The French proximity to Germany might suggest a similar search profile and this is the case. Next to Germany, France has the highest % of generic gluten free term searches of all communities so far analysed and about double the amount of gluten free searches per head of population compared to Germany. That said, both these countries have nearly the lowest number of searches for the developed world (less than 0.2 searches per month).

FRANCE, English Speaking

The FRANCE, English speaking community has almost exactly the same profile and highest rating terms as Germany English speaking. Out of 91 thousand top 50 term searches, generic gluten free terms accounted for 69% (63 thousand searches). The top two terms were:

"and gluten free" (27,100)

"gluten free in" (18,100)

The second highest group was specific gluten foods at 8% of top 50 volumes or 7 thousand searches. Of these six terms, the three largest were: High gluten flour (3,600), and gluten free pizza crusts and gluten free brownies 1,900 searches each.

FRANCE, French speaking

This group was very similar to German, German speaking, in that the generic gluten terms group accounted for 86% of top 50 searches or 139 thousand out of 167 thousand. Also its top terms were the same as German, German speaking: gluten term searches were 110,000. The second highest term was the same as German English speaking: "and gluten free" (27,100)

Like FRANCE, English speaking, the second highest group was the specific gluten free group. At 7% this ten term group accounted for 11 thousand searches. The top three terms were: high gluten flour' (3,600), rye free' and gluten free oatmeal' 2,900 each.

It is noteworthy that these specific food terms are food staples rather than luxuries or social event foods such as cakes or cookies etc.

ITALY

This country was analysed for Italian and English speaking people. While Germany and France had low searches per head of population and a very high proportion of generic gluten searches, Italy had more generic search terms but a relatively low % of generic terms of the top 50.

ITALY English Speaking

The generic gluten free group only consisted 32% of searches of the top 50 terms. This equates to 26 thousand of the 84 thousand top 50 searches. Even though the proportion of generic gluten searches was low, there were 18 terms in this group. The terms were very evenly spread in search numbers with the top two being: gluten free dessert(s) (9,000); with 2,900 searches for gluten free meals and breakfasts each. This means that the top three terms were not the standard searches encountered in other communities such as gluten' and gluten free products'.

The second and third highest groups were: Gluten diet (8 terms 29% searches) and Specific GF foods' ( 5 terms 18% top 50 searches). The gluten diet group was dominated by three four and five word terms rather than the basic terms like gluten diet found in the US and Australia.

The specific GF foods group, like France, was also mostly dominated by food staples: muffins (4,400), flour (3,600), oatmeal (2,900).

ITALY Italian Speaking

This had a more expected' generic food group % of 65% (66 thousand out of 103 thousand) however the 14 terms were again dominated by terms that looked like unfinished requests:

and gluten free' (27,100)

gluten free in' (18,100)

of gluten free' (8,100)

The second highest group was specific GF foods' whose 8 terms comprised 16% of the total top 50 searches. The two highest terms were: Gluten free cookies (12,100) and high gluten flour' 3,600.

The third highest group was GF locations'. It's 22 terms made up 12% of top 50 searches (12 thousand searches). The group had a long low volume tail with the top three terms being: gluten free restaurants in' 4,400; york gluten free' 2,900 and gluten free London' 1,600.

SPAIN

Had a typically low celiac search value of 1.2 (English and Spanish speaking). Its 131 terms accounted for 158 thousand searches that with relatively low Google share and internet usage equated to an adjusted value of 532 thousand searches.

SPAIN, English speaking

With generic search terms only accounting for 39% of top 50 searches, this was one of the lowest values encountered for core European communities. The top 50 terms made up only 71 thousand searches. While the generic group had 17 terms, the top term gluten free dessert(s) was only searched for 9,000 times.

As was the trend for several other European Countries with low celiac per head searches, Spain English speaking's second highest group was specific gluten free foods. Seven terms accounted for 21% of top 50 searches. The three highest terms were: gluten free muffins (4,400); high gluten flour (3,600) and gluten free oatmeal (2,900).

Similarly to Italy, this community had a high proportion of Gluten free location group searches, with its four terms accounting for 18% of top 50 searches. The top two searches were: gluten free restaurants in' (4,400) and gluten free stores' (4,400)

SPAIN, Spanish speaking

This community only had 28 gluten related searches accounting for 91 thousand searches. In complete contrast to the Spanish Speaking community, the main category is the generic group accounting for a large 75% of searches (50 thousand by gluten').

The second, third, fourth and fifth groups are all around 6%. Of most interest is the specific food group that has seven terms, with the top two being: high gluten flour (3,600) and gluten free oatmeal (2,900).

RUSSIA

Of all the countries analysed so far, Russia (Russian and English speaking) had the highest adjusted gluten free searches per head of population. Although in Russia Google only has about 25% market share with local company Yandax gaining over 60% share, the analysis calculations take this into account. It is this low Google share coupled with very low internet penetration (23%) that causes the combined (Russian and English speaking) search volumes to be adjusted from 604 thousand to 8.3M, and hence a per celiac search per month value of 5.9.

RUSSIA English speaking

Russia's English speaking gluten free searchers searched around 244 thousand times a month on Google. There was a total of only 101 search terms averaged over the previous year with the profile having a very long low tail. Of the top 50 terms, 14 were generic gluten terms but only accounted for 11% of the volumes. The top two terms were:

Gluten free dessert(s) (9,000); and gluten free meals' (4.800).

The highest group was actually specific gluten free food' which accounted for 23% of top 50 searches (54 thousand) and Celiac' terms also 23% of searches. Of the specific gluten free food' terms the top five were:

Gluten free pizza (14,800) Gluten free beer (12,100) Gluten free cakes (6,600) Corn gluten meal (6,600) Gluten free muffins (4,400)

The third highest group celiac' was dominated by celiacs' which had 33 thousand of the groups 55 thousand searches.

RUSSIA Russian speaking

The three top groups have similar search share around 25%.

The top group was the GF specific foods which has 8 terms accounting for 26% of top 50 searches, or 93 thousand searches. The top two searches in this group are variations of gluten free food(s)' taking 66 thousand searches.

The equal second group was GF specific foods (24%) with the top three searches being gluten free bread (49,500) and gluten free cake' (22,200), gluten free cookies' (12,100).

The celiac' group accounted for 24% of top 50 searches. With only four terms, its 87 thousand searches were dominated by gluten intolerance' (87,540) and gluten allergy' (32,500).

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Global Financial Crisis? Singapore Weathers The Storm In Gluten Free Shopping Beating America. Gfp Matrix Shows High Gdp Boosts Health & Diagnosis

This article compares previous research on gluten free e-demand in the Americas and Europe with analysis of major Asian countries using a re-developed GFP Matrix model. This model uses gluten free search term volumes in Google in specific communities to estimate the community\'s gluten free market maturity. The matrix plots the raw gluten related search volumes versus Adjusted celiac searches\' and finds a linear relationship between the two variables. The analysis looks at what defines a mature gluten free market as well as what products people in different countries are searching for and why.

One of the main concepts in this article is Adjusted Celiac searches\' which is based on raw gluten search term volumes. These values are then adjusted (increased) to account for internet usage in a country as well as the probable total search engine gluten queries (using specific country Google Market share as the basis). This adjusted value thus estimates the total gluten searches as if 100% of a country had internet access and all search engine results were used.

This intermediate value is then divided by (community population divided by 100) to gain a monthly adjusted celiac search\' value. That is, assuming that that the average celiac rate is approximately 1 in 100 people (diagnosed and undiagnosed), this hypothetical value estimates on average, if all celiacs searched for gluten free products, how many times they searched for them each month. Note that as celiac diagnosis in advanced countries may be as low as 20%, the actual number of times internet using celiacs currently search may be five times as much as the estimates predict!

To assist analysis, gluten related search terms were divided into seven groups as shown below. Only the top 50 terms were used for detailed statistical analysis, but in most cases, these fifty terms represent 95% of all terms.

Glute n Group Composition:

Generic GF Product: This group of search terms all involve the word gluten and are generic in nature, such a gluten, gluten free, gluten free products, gluten free meals. This group is also segmented into core and non-core terms. Core terms are those shown above, while non core terms are those such as: gf breakfast, gf snacks, gf desserts, gf gifts. Gluten Diet: These are terms that are related to the specifics of gluten free diets such as: gluten free diets, celiac diet. Gluten Free recipe: Terms such as gluten free recipes, gluten recipe, gluten free baking, wheat free baking Celiac related: These are terms related to information on the disease such as: celiac, celiac disease, gluten intolerance, gluten allergies Wheat free: Terms such as: wheat free, wheat gluten, wheat allergy GF Locations: gluten free stores, gluten free shopping, gluten free resta urant Specific GF Foods: gluten free bread, gluten free pizza, gluten free cakes, gluten free muffins

A summary of the adjusted celiac searches per month\' ratings of specific communities for Dec 2008 were:

4.2 Australia 2.7 USA 1.9 China English speaking 4.9 China Traditional 2.0 China Simplified 1.6 India English 1.0 India Hindu 5.5 Indonesia English 1.0 Indonesia Indonesian speaking 1.3 Japan English 1.4 Japan Japanese speaking 6.7 Singapore English speaking

Overall, the control groups, USA and Australia, remained higher gluten search countries than the highest raw searches per population\' countries of the Asian countries analysed, except for the Singapore English speaking community. Singapore has one of the best telecommunication systems in Asia and its internet penetration is similar to the US and Australia. It is believed that of those people who do search on the internet in Singapore, they search long a nd hard for what they want. With this high search level, the searches conformed to GFP Matrix conditions that suggest that high raw search communities have a high proportion of generic gluten searches. In this case, 65% of all searches were in the generic group of which 85% were core searches. As per the GFP Matrix trend, the celiac\' group was also high. Its eleven terms and 8% of top 50 searches was only 2% behind the second highest group gluten diet\'.

In statistical terms, China traditional language, and Indonesia English speaking communities are called outliers\'. That is, most other data points fit a linear relationship between raw searches and adjusted celiac searches, except for these two communities. The common trait of these two communities is that they have very large populations and very low internet penetration and low Gross Domestic Product per person (associated with low wage and lower standards of living). This might t ypically suggest that these communities would have a low celiac diagnosis rate - however it is likely that any English speaking community in any under developed country, is likely to have more affluence and access to better medical facilities than the main population. If we assume that the resulting high celiac searches are correct, then clues to why this is so can be found in detailed analysis of the communities.

China (Traditional Chinese speaking) had a massive 2.6 million searches. This is similar to the US but China has a much lower internet penetration, resulting in a higher celiac search estimate. The typical high celiac search community has a high generic gluten search proportion of the top 50, whereas China traditional\' has only 38% of volumes. However, it does follow the trend of having the celiac group\' as the second highest search group (30%). So it would appear that China traditional\' genuinely has a high celiac search community. The r ise of the Chinese economy, particularly in the large cities is likely to have spawned a community hungry for information and funds to seek medical facilities and buy gluten free products.

The Indonesia English speaking\' community had a relatively low search volume of 325 thousand terms, however with only an 11% internet penetration this gives the community a celiac search rating of 5.5 searches by celiacs per month. The search group profile is non typical of high search countries. A relatively low generic group and the highest group celiac\' used non-standard search terms. Wheat free\' was also non-typically very high (16%). With gluten free pizza\' being the highest specific food search, it appears that this community is more affluent than the indigenous community and has higher searchers. But they also use non-standard search terms as the Indonesian gluten online supply side is likely to be quite undeveloped.

All of the other Asian communit ies analysed were found in the very low search are of 1 to 2 adjusted celiac searches. Surprisingly Japan, (English and Japanese speaking) communities, were also found here. While they have slightly one of the larger raw gluten search volume values compared to all other Asian communities, their adjusted celiac search values are still only around 60% of the US and less than half of Australia\'s. This could be caused by their predilection towards rice dishes and fish foods that don\'t involve gluten. Japan English speaking had a low 100 terms and 187 thousand searches with the top four groups having similar search volumes around 18%. The very high searches for gluten free restaurants\', and high ranking for the celiac group\' suggests that there is an even spread between new diagnosed and sophisticated searchers.

Specific food terms of cakes, corn and muffins rather than food staples also suggest that Japan\'s Japanese speaking people have risen above the need to find or make food staples such as bread. While the Japanese speaking community had double the searches of the English speaking community, they were located in virtually the same spot on the GFP matrix. The main difference was that its search profile was completely different. The Japanese speaking searchers spent 43% of their 391 thousand searches looking for specific gluten free foods. The top specific searches were: cake, pizza, casein, cookies, chocolate and beer. Again, these are the hallmarks of sophisticated searchers in an affluent society.

The lowest ranking communities were India (English and Hindu), Indonesia (Indonesian speaking), and China (English and Simplified Chinese language). These countries all share the similarity of being very large, having a low economic status and being predomi nantly non English speaking with low internet penetration.

Specific information is provided on these communities in the individual community analysis. However it might just be that like Japan, these countries have a low amount of gluten in their diet and this may also be a reason for low or non-triggering of celiac disease issues. That is aligned to the theory that it is an continued overdose\' of high gluten foods that triggers celiac disease in the first place in many developed nations peoples.

Specific ASIAN Community GFP Matrix ANALYSIS

CHINA

China was analysed for three different language search segments: English, Chinese traditional, Chinese simplified. The Chinese traditional community not only had by far the greatest number of Asian raw searches, this community alone rated similar in search size to the US raw search size. However, the population of China is over 1.3 billion people and it has a relatively low internet penetration of 19% and Google market share of only 22%.

This community was assumed to comprise 15% of China\'s total population. With 136 search terms and 155 thousand searches, when this is adjusted for the low penetration and Google share it equates to an adjusted search volume of 3.7 million for December 08.

While there were 16 terms in the generic gluten foods\' group this group only accounted for 33% of top 50 volumes. The largest search term in this group was free gluten free\' which accounted for 22,000 searches. The second highest group was gluten diet\' group with 12 terms and 36% of top 50 searches. The third highest group with ten terms was the celiac group which accounted for 27 thousand searches with the top three being: celiacs 8,100; gluten sensitivity 8,100 and gluten allergies 5,400.

The specific gluten food group had four terms and only accounted for 11 thousand searches with the largest being muffins and oatmeal.

Chines e Simplified speaking

With 567 thousand searches this group was three and a half times bigger than the English speaking community. It follows the trend with the local (non English) community search terms in the generic gluten food\' group comprising a much smaller proportion of the total (15% of the top 50) than the English speaking community above (33%). The largest group was the specific gluten food\' group with 178 thousand searches- 44% of top 50 searches. Cakes and pizza had a combined volume of 37,000 searches, with the next four terms having 12 thousand searches each: casein; flour, cookies, chocolate and beer. This relatively refined search pattern suggests relatively sophisticalted afflutent searchers. Maybe in China one needs to be relatively afflutent to be diagnosed in the first place?

Chinese traditional

This community had a massive 2.6 million searches, second only to the US. The largest group was the gene ric\' group with 9 terms making 38% of the volumes. Of the nearly one million searches within this group, 823 thousand were for gluten free\'. The core generic foods group accounted for six of the nine terms making up 98% of the generic group.

The celiac group also had a large representation with five terms accounting for 30% of searches. Celiac and celiac disease accounted for over 700 thousand searches! While specific foods group was the third largest by volume (258 thousand), its 19 terms only accounted for 10% of the top 50 searches. The peak term was for gluten free bread (50 thousand searches) followed by gluten free cake and corn gluten, each on 22,000 searches. Note that these are much more simple food items than the non staple items searched for by the Simplified Chinese community.

INDIA

India was separated into English speaking and Hindu communities. With the world\'s second largest population of over 1 billion people and internet penetration of only 5.2% and Google share of 81%, raw gluten searches were expected to be low, but so were the adjusted celiac searches.

INDIA English speaking

The generic group had 20 terms and accounted for 65% (150 thousand) of top fifty searches. The top four terms were all between 25 and 18 thousand and were part gluten free phrases such as: is gluten free; and gluten free; gluten free in.

The gluten diet (11 terms) and celiac group (8 terms) each had 11% and 12% of top 50 searches respectively. A close fourth group with only five terms was the specific foods group. The largest volume in this group was taken by gluten dairy\' 9,900 searches.

This community had 417 thousand searches nearly two and a half times the English speaking searches. The top FIVE groups had all very similar search volumes ranging between 18% and 23%. The Specific foods\' group accounted for six terms and 23% of volu mes. The top two searches were: gluten free bread 49,500 and gluten free cakes 22,200. The second highest group was the celiac group with four terms covering 20% of volumes. gluten intolerance\' was the prime search term taking 49,500 of the groups 82 thousand searches.

JAPAN

As one of the most sophisticated economically strong first world countries it was expected that Japan\'s search rate may rate high. However celiac disease may be lowly diagnosed in this country as rice and fish typically make a much larger proportion of their diet than wheat of other cereals.

Japan English speaking

With 100 terms accounting for 187 thousand searches this is a relatively low search rate per population, considering it has 74% internet penetration and a Google share of 39%.

The top four groups each ranged from 17% to 20% of top fifty volumes. Unusually, gluten locations\' was the top group and had three terms and 36 thous and searches for its 20% share of top 50. Gluten free restaurants\' was a very dominant 22 thousand searches.

The second highest group was celiac with 12 terms accounting for 19% (35 thousand) of top 50 searches. The terms celiac disease\' and celiacs\' both accounted for 8 thousand searches each. There was also a relatively high and even spread of other celiac search volumes. The generic gluten free\' group had 15 terms (27 thousand searches) but only 17% of top 50 searches. With the groups median value of 1,600 and non-core generic terms accounting for 80% of generic searches, people were searching for more unique generic terms than usual. The top two non-core searches were variations of gluten free desserts\' making up 9,000 searches. Specific gluten free foods had only six terms (24,300 searches) with the top three terms: gluten free cakes (6,600), corn gluten meal (6,600), and gluten free muffins (4,400).

The high value searches for gluten free restaurants , gluten free dessert(s), cakes and muffins suggests that this group is a fairly established small core of searchers. While there is a relatively high 19% of searches dedicated to finding information on celiacs, the high spread between the groups suggests that the GF industry may be already mature in Japan.

JAPAN Japanese speaking

Total searches were 391 thousand per month for the top 50, surprisingly only double the English speaking community. Specific gluten foods\' was a very dominant 23 terms with its 169 thousand searches accounting for 43% of top fifty searches. The top searches were: gluten free cake (22,200); gluten free pizza (14,800) and FOUR terms on 12,000 searches: gluten free casein; gluten free cookies; gluten free chocolate; gluten free beer.

The second highest group was the generic group\' with six terms and only 13% (52 thousand) of the top 50 searches. The very dominant terms were: what is gluten free\' (22,200) and gl uten free products\' (14,800). The third highest group was gluten free recipes\' whose seven terms made up 11%, with the highest term search being for gluten free recipes (12,000). The celiac group had only two terms and 3% of top 50 searches.

INDONESIA

Indonesia is the fourth largest country in the world with a population of 229 million. And like China and India it is classed as a developing country. While Google has a very healthy 71% market share there, the country only has an 11% internet penetration. The analysis was performed on English speaking and Indonesian speaking communities.

INDONESIA English speaking

With only 107 terms searched for over 325 thousand times, this is relatively low result for a country of this size. The popularity of the groups were fairly evenly spread with the main group of celiac\' only having 8 terms and making up 21% of searches. Unusually, the two peak terms were not generic in n ature: celiac sprue (22,200) and celiac disease symptom (14,800).

The second highest group was wheat free\' whose six terms comprised 16% of top 50 searches. With a median value of 8 thousand, the top term was wheat intolerance\' (18,100). The equal third group with 14% of searches was the specific food group. Of its 43 thousand searches the top ones were: gluten free pizza (14,800); gluten free pasta (6,600) and gluten free cakes (6,600).

With the relatively low search volumes, as expected the generic group searches were low - with its ten terms making up only 9% of top 50 searches. The non-core generic terms also comprise 84% of the terms. The median value was 2,900 and top searches were: gluten free dessert(s) (9,000) and gluten free pantry\' (3,600).

INDONESIA Indonesian speaking

A very telling point of this low internet penetration country is that Google only listed 22 terms over the month and 173 thousand searches for the in digenous language. This is less than half the English speaking community.

In this community the celiac group was a very dominant 53% of top 50 searches. With only four terms the two main terms out of the groups 82 thousand searches were: gluten intolerance (49,500) and gluten allergy (27,100). This dominance of the celiac group suggests a country in the very early stages of celiac diagnosis.

The second highest group was the generic group of which the five terms were all core terms and accounted for 49 thousand searches. With a median value of only 1,300, the very dominant terms were gluten free foods (33,100) and gluten free products (14,800).

The third highest group (12%), specific gluten food, had seven terms and a total of 19 thousand searches. The top three terms were: gluten free cookies (12,100); high gluten flour (3,600) and gluten free oatmeal (2,900). Cookies are not necessarily a large luxury item, but it indicates that those who can search hav e some means to buy and search for items other than staples such as flour and bread.

SINGAPORE

Singapore has one of the best telecommunications systems in the world and one of the highest cellular uptakes, however the internet penetration is only cited as 70%.

Singapore is also one of the major economies in the Asia-Pacific region along with Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. As its per capita GDP\' exceeds that of most countries outside the US, it is expected that it would have the highest celiac search value too.

SINGAPORE English Speaking

With a population just over 4 million people, its total search (English) of 118 terms and 154 thousand searches is very impressive. This high search level is accompanied with 15 generic terms accounting for 99 thousand searches (65%) - of which only 15% of searches were non-core. The very dominant terms were: and gluten free\' (27,100); is gluten free\' (27,100) and fre e gluten free\' (22,200).

The second highest search term group was gluten diet whose six terms made up only 10% of searches. Out of the 15 thousand seaches, the top searches were: gluten free food list\' and list of gluten free foods\' - 4,400 each.

While specific foods six terms only made up 5% of top 50 searches, it is useful to see that they were: oatmeal (2,900); and pizza and pizza crust at 1,900 terms each. This shows a balance between staples and luxury food mixes.

SINGAPORE Mandarin speaking

Mandarin is considered to be the dominant language in Singapore. As Chinese traditional and China simplified had essentially the same terms in the same order as Singapore Chinese traditional, it is considered that Google duplicated the gluten search results for Singapore. While Google has a very healthy 71% share between its dot com and Singapore specific engines, the results of 143 terms and 1.16 million searches was very inflated. Th at is, taking internet penetration and Google market share into account, the adjusted celiac monthly search volume would be 51 terms searched - if the data was true!

This suggests that while English community searches in Asian countries can provide an insight into the market development of a country, the main Asian language searches might not be able to be analysed.

GFP Matrix ASIA SUMMARY



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Healthy Weight Loss and Body Weight - A Quick Look - Health - Weight Loss

Healthy Weight Loss and Body Weight - A Quick Look

Technological advancements in the modern world have made us believe virtually in everything and anything. Quick-fix diets can lead to quick fat loss. Fast fat-burning foods can result in faster metabolism. Healthy weight loss programs can translate to healthier lifestyles.

Everything has become super easy and simple. Answers and solutions are immediately accessible in a few winks or in a couple of clicks.

Instant gratification seems to be the order of the day. Instant results are possible, so consultants on diets, exercises, and other health programs are quick to promise you these. There are pills and supplements which claim to literally work like magic potions on your figure for a more ideal you.

But the question is: What's ideal for you? Let's take a quick look.

What does ideal body weight mean?

By definition and in practice, ideal body weight is that weight where you are at your best and healthiest. It is not a figure or statistics you alone set, and neither is it a standard common to all.

Ideal body weight is more on an individual level. In fact, it can be measured in three ways:

o Ideal weight is measured in relation to your body mass indexo It correlates the proportion between your height and weighto It consider the proportion of body fat to both muscle and bone

What do quick-fix and fad diets ideally promise?

Many new diets promise permanent and fast weight loss, an ideal which quick-fix diets alone will try to dish out for you without delivering much success. Because the outcome is only short-term and temporary, it can be frustrating to see yourself gain those pounds all over again once you give the diet or exercise a break

Aside from being limited in nutrients, these fad diets are also either expensive or time-consuming. Unless yours is credible and effective, you would tend to lose more water and muscle than fat. This leaves you pale, weak, and dehydrated.

What good would healthy weight loss do?

In contrast, a long-term lifestyle change which perks you up is a better alternative to an all-too-easy program that lets you down.

Healthy weight loss programs starts with eating healthy, natural food and drinking lots of water. Because not a single food can provide all the nutrients you require, it continues with eating a variety of the basic food groups while limiting the consumption not only of sweet and fatty foods but also salty and processed foods.

As you take in all the energy-giving calories you need through healthier eating habits, you burn any extra calories through fat-burning cardiovascular exercises.

To make the experience more rewarding, you gratify your senses with a good amount of sleep and you indulge yourself in a hearty breakfast.

A healthy loss of one to two pounds a week would be quick enough for your body to handle. This is the simplest, easiest, and safest way possible. Ideally, if you could have the option of healthy weight loss programs on an achievable and sustainable basis, we're sure you would choose it for life.

Sign up for a free newsletter and read expert articles on how to lose weight safely, quickly and choose a plan that's right for you./

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Reach Your Ideal Body Weight: 3 Ways to Cut the Junk in Your Diet - Health - Weight Loss

If you have long been looking for ways to lose weight but have been unsuccessful so far, then you may already be familiar with the things that need to be eliminated from your Depending on the diet that you will choose, you will be told to cut the fats, carbohydrates or cut the calories in your diet.

But what if getting rid of just one of these three factors still proves to be ineffective? Here, we will take a look at some of the 'junk' which needs to be eliminated from your diet, and how they can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

- First, most diet plans tell individuals to cut the junk of too much fats in the food that they eat. Actually, the effectiveness of a low-fat diet will depend on an individual. There are many types of fat which you can find in the food that you are eating on a daily basis. This can include monosaturated and polysaturated fats, processed fats and hydrogenated fats.

When processed fats are combined with a high level of carbohydrates, this would not be good for your health at all.

- Second, some weight loss plans focus on a low-carb diet. Will cutting the carbs from your diet be effective in helping you meet your weight loss goals? Again, this depends on the individual. It may be an effective move for some people to have a low-carb diet. For others, it may not work as well.

- Third, there are types of diets which focus on consuming foods which are low in calories. Usually, it is not really the caloric content of the food that you are eating which is the problem but how fast your body is able to burn them. When you consume a diet which is low in calories and processed fats, you will be left with the option of consuming foods which are natural protein sources, as well as fruits and veggies.

Remember that eating healthy should be a way of life rather than a temporary solution to your weigh loss problems so plan your meals in advance and always consider the nutritional value of the foods that you are eating.

By cutting on the junk fats, carbohydrates and calories in your diet, you can very well be on your way towards reaching your ideal body weight.

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Is My Child Autistic How Can I Tell

Autism is a term that refers to a collection of

neurologically based developmental disorders in which

individuals have impairments in social interaction and

communication skills, along with a tendency to have

repetitive behaviors or interests.

The severity of autism varies greatly, from individuals with

little speech and poor daily living skills, to others who

function well in most settings. Approximately 70 to 75

percent of individuals with autism are believed to have

mental retardation. Some adults with autism live

independently.

A variety of factors could be associated with some forms of

autism, including infectious, metabolic, genetic,

neurological and environmental factors. There has been a

growing concern among parents that the measles-mumps-rubella

(MMR) vaccine can cause autism and a study published in the

Journal of the American Association of Physicians and

Surgeons examined extensive data on vaccines in children.

The astonishing conclusion:

Children who receive just three vaccines containing

the mercury-based preservative thimerosal are 27-

times more likely to develop autism, compared to

children who get vaccinations containing no

thimerosal. This was no surprise to the many

researchers who have recognized that mercury-

exposure to children through vaccines dramatically

increased over the past 15 years, while the rate of

autism jumped from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 150 over the

same period.

What are the symptoms of Autism and how is it

diagnosed?

Autism is typically diagnosed during the toddler or

preschool years, although some children are diagnosed later.

Language delay or lack of appropriate social development may

cause parents or teachers to seek an evaluation.

Some children may have a period of normal development before

the onset of symptoms and may even lose some earlier

acquired skills, such as early words or social smiling.

Currently, there is no blood test or other medical test

available to diagnose autism. Correct diagnosis depends on

extensive and accurate developmental history, as well as

observations of the child's social, communicative and play

behaviors.

In autistic children, the inability of brain cells to

communicate properly manifests physically in a parallel way.

Autistic children often have difficulty with verbal

communication, and in their inability to participate well

(if at all) in a conversation.

Gestures and facial expressions, known as non-verbal

communication, are also difficult. They have trouble

relating socially to people and their surroundings, and

often prefer playing alone because they dont know how to

make friends. Their playtime may be very systematic and

orderly, and not very imaginative.

A compromised immune system is common for these children,

including other autoimmune diseases. Autistic children are

often more susceptible to infections, viruses in the colon,

colds, ear infections, allergies and asthma.

Is it true that nutrition can make a difference in

my child's autistic behavior?

Good nutrition is particularly important for children and

especially important for children with any type of health

challenge. Your childs body was not designed to be ill-

and thats good news. This means you need to give your

child the fuels he or she needs to help heal and correct

their bodies.

In an article written by Dr. Steve Nugent, NMD, Phd and Jane

Ramberg, MS called "Reassessing the Need for Dietary

Supplements for Americas Children", the following is

stated:

"Studies indicate that poor nutrition in childhood

can have irreversible efffects, ranging from mild to

serious, affecting brain development, skeletal

structure, and height. If malnutrition occurs

during the critical period of high brain growth

velocity (between the last trimester of pregnancy

and age 2), deleterious (harmful) effects on brain

development are permanent."

There should be no question that what your child eats will

affect his or her health. The only question is what can I

learn about my childs nutrition and what can I do to

improve it?

WHAT NUTRIENTS DOES MY CHILD NEED?

The best way for your child to obtain good nutrition is by

consuming a healthy well balanced diet of protein,

carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Its also

important to get Phytonutrients/Antioxidents (nutrients from

plants, vine-ripe fruits, & vegetables); Phytohormones which

support proper organ health; and Glyconutrients, the newest

class of necessary nutritrients.

Glyconutrients are required for complete cellular

communication and probably the most important nutrient for a

child with any type of chronic health challenge.

Why are some nutrients considered necessary for proper body

and immune system functioning and others are not considered

necessary?

In a nutshell, if you understand how a basic

computer works, you know that there is certain software,

called the operating system, that is required to make the

computer run. Then there are other software, like games and

word document programs, that use the operating system in

order to function. The same applies to your childs body.

There are necessary nutrients (as described above) that are

essential to make the human body function and then there are

supplemental nutrients (like herbs) that are useful when all

of the essential nutrients are present.

Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, the most reassuring thing about

necessary nutrients is that they are non-toxic. Your

childs body will accept nutrition naturally without the

toxic and sometimes life threatening side affects of

pharmaceutical drugs.

What would your rather have your child try first to improve

his or her health challenge?

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Eating Disorders Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions

Eating is controlled by many factors, including appetite, food availability, family, peer, and cultural practices, and attempts at voluntary control. Dieting to a body weight leaner than needed for health is highly promoted by current fashion trends, sales campaigns for special foods, and in some activities and professions. Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Researchers are investigating how and why initially voluntary behaviors, such as eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, at some point move beyond control in some people and develop into an eating disorder. Studies on the basic biology of appetite control and its alteration by prolonged overeating or starvation have uncovered enormous complexity, but in the long run have the potential to lead to new pharmacologic treatment s for eating disorders.

Eating disorders are not due to a failure of will or behavior; rather, they are real, treatable medical illnesses in which certain maladaptive patterns of eating take on a life of their own. The main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A third type, binge-eating disorder, has been suggested but has not yet been approved as a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Eating disorders frequently develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but some reports indicate their onset can occur during childhood or later in adulthood.

Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. In addition, people who suffer from eating disorders can experience a wide range of physical health complications, including serious heart conditions and kidney failure which may lead to death. Recognition of eating disorders as real and treatable diseases, therefore, is critically important.

Females are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. Only an estimated 5 to 15 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia and an estimated 35 percent of those with binge-eating disorder are male.

Anorexia Nervosa

An estimated 0.5 to 3.7 percent of females suffer from anorexia nervosa in their lifetime. Symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:

Resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height

Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight

Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight

Infrequent or absent menstrual periods (in females who have reached puberty)

People with this disorder see themselves as overweight even though they are dangerously thin. The process of eating becomes an obsession. Unusual eating habits develop, such as avoiding food and meals, picking out a few foods and eating these in small quantities, or carefully weighing and portioning food. People with anorexia may repeatedly check their body weight, and many engage in other techniques to control their weight, such as intense and compulsive exercise, or purging by means of vomiting and abuse of laxatives, enemas, and diuretics. Girls with anorexia often experience a delayed onset of their first menstrual period.

The course and outcome of anorexia nervosa vary across individuals: some fully recover after a single episode; some have a fluctuating pattern of weight gain and relapse; and others experience a chronically deteriorating course of illness over many years. The mortality rate among people with anorexia has been estimated at 0.56 percent per year, or approximately 5.6 percent per decade, which is about 12 times higher than the annual death rate due to all causes of death among females ages 15-24 in the general population. The most common causes of death are complications of the disorder, such as cardiac arrest or electrolyte imbalance, and suicide.

Bulimia Nervosa

An estimated 1.1 percent to 4.2 percent of females have bulimia nervosa in their lifetime. Symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:

Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive amount of food within a discrete period of time and by a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode

Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications (purging); fasting; or excessive exercise

The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months

Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight

Because purging or other compensatory behavior follows the binge-eating episodes, people with bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age and height. However, like individuals with anorexia, they may fear gaining weight, desire to lose weight, and feel intensely dissatisfied with their bodies. People with bulimia often perform the behaviors in secrecy, feeling disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.

Binge-Eating Disorder

Community surveys have estimated that between 2 percent and 5 percent of Americans experience binge-eating disorder in a 6-month period. Symptoms of binge-eating disorder include:

Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive amount of food within a discrete period of time and by a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode

The binge-eating episodes are associated with at least 3 of the following: eating much more rapidly than normal; eating until feeling uncomfortably full; eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry; eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating; feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating

Marked distress about the binge-eating behavior

The binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months

The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e.g., purging, fasting, excessive exercise)

People with binge-eating disorder experience frequent episodes of out-of-control eating, with the same binge-eating symptoms as those with bulimia. The main difference is that individuals with binge-eating disorder do not purge their bodies of excess calories. Therefore, many with the disorder are overweight for their age and height. Feelings of self-disgust and shame associated with this illness can lead to bingeing again, creating a cycle of binge eating.

Treatment Strategies

Eating disorders can be treated and a healthy weight restored. The sooner these disorders are diagnosed and treated, the better the outcomes are likely to be. Because of their complexity, eating disorders require a comprehensive treatment plan involving medical care and monitoring, psychosocial interventions, nutritional counseling and, when appropriate, medication management. At the time of diagnosis, the clinician must determine whether the person is in immediate danger and requires hospitalization.

Treatment of anorexia calls for a specific program that involves three main phases: (1) restoring weight lost to severe dieting and purging; (2) treating psychological disturbances such as distortion of body image, low self-esteem, and interpersonal conflicts; and (3) achieving long-term remission and rehabilitation, or full recovery. Early diagnosis and treatment increases the treatment success rate. Use of psychotropic medication in people with anorexia should be considered only after weight gain has been established. Certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs ) have been shown to be helpful for weight maintenance and for resolving mood and anxiety symptoms associated with anorexia.

The acute management of severe weight loss is usually provided in an inpatient hospital setting, where feeding plans address the person's medical and nutritional needs. In some cases, intravenous feeding is recommended. Once malnutrition has been corrected and weight gain has begun, psychotherapy (often cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy) can help people with anorexia overcome low self-esteem and address distorted thought and behavior patterns. Families are sometimes included in the therapeutic process.

The primary goal of treatment for bulimia is to reduce or eliminate binge eating and purging behavior. To this end, nutritional rehabilitation, psychosocial intervention, and medication management strategies are often employed. Establishment of a pattern of regular, non-binge meals, improvement of attitudes related to the eating disorder, encouragement of healthy but not excessive exercise, and resolution of co-occurring conditions such as mood or anxiety disorders are among the specific aims of these strategies. Individual psychotherapy (especially cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy), group psychotherapy that uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, and family or marital therapy have been reported to be effective. Psychotropic medications, primarily antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs ), have been found helpful for people with bulimia, particularly those with significant symptoms of depression or anxiety, or those who have not responded adequately to psychosocial treatment alone. These medications also may help prevent relapse. The treatment goals and strategies for binge-eating disorder are similar to those for bulimia, and studies are currently evaluating the effectiveness of various interventions.

People with eating disorders often do not recognize or admit that they are ill. As a result, they may strongly resist getting and staying in treatment. Family members or other trusted individuals can be helpful in ensuring that the person with an eating disorder receives needed care and rehabilitation. For some people, treatment may be long term.

Research Findings and Directions

Research is contributing to advances in the understanding and treatment of eating disorders.

NIMH-funded scientists and others continue to investigate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions, medications, and the combination of these treatments with the goal of improving outcomes for people with eating disorders.

Research on interrupting the binge-eating cycle has shown that once a structured pattern of eating is established, the person experiences less hunger, less deprivation, and a reduction in negative feelings about food and eating. The two factors that increase the likelihood of bingeinghunger and negative feelingsare reduced, which decreases the frequency of binges.

Several family and twin studies are suggestive of a high heritability of anorexia and bulimia, and researchers are searching for genes that confer susceptibility to these disorders. Scientists suspect that multiple genes may interact with environmental and other factors to increase the risk of developing these illnesses. Identification of susceptibility genes will permit the development of improved treatments for eating disorders.

Other studies are investigating the neurobiology of emotional and social behavior relevant to eating disorders and the neuroscience of feeding behavior.

Scientists have learned that both appetite and energy expenditure are regulated by a highly complex network of nerve cells and molecular messengers called neuropeptides . These and future discoveries will provide potential targets for the development of new pharmacologic treatments for eating disorders.

Further insight is likely to come from studying the role of gonadal steroids. Their relevance to eating disorders is suggested by the clear gender effect in the risk for these disorders, their emergence at puberty or soon after, and the increased risk for eating disorders among girls with early onset of menstruation

Anorexia Nervosa

-------------------------------------------

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

Anorexia Nervosa has four primary symptoms:

Resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height

Intense fear of weight gain or being fat even though underweight.

Disturbance in the experience of body weight or shape, undue influence of weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight.

Loss of menstrual periods in girls and women post-puberty.

Eating disorders experts have found that prompt intensive treatment significantly improves the chances of recovery. Therefore, it is important to be aware of some of the warning signs of anorexia nervosa.

Warning Signs of Anorexia Nervosa:

Dramatic weight loss.

Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and dieting.

Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to restrictions against whole categories of food (e.g. no carbohydrates, etc.).

Frequent comments about feeling fat or overweight despite weight loss.

Anxiety about gaining weight or being fat.

Denial of hunger.

Development of food rituals (e.g. eating foods in certain orders, excessive chewing, rearranging food on a plate).

Consistent excuses to avoid mealtimes or situations involving food.

Excessive, rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury--the need to burn off calories taken in.

Withdrawal from usual friends and activities.

In general, behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns.

Anorexia nervosa involves self-starvation. The body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally, so it is forced to slow down all of its processes to conserve energy. This slowing down can have serious medical consequences.

Health Consequences of Anorexia Nervosa:

Abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which mean that the heart muscle is changing. The risk for heart failure rises as heart rate and blood pressure levels sink lower and lower.

Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), which results in dry, brittle bones.

Muscle loss and weakness.

Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure.

Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness.

Dry hair and skin, hair loss is common.

Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all over the body, including the face, in an effort to keep the body warm.

Statistics About Anorexia Nervosa:

Approximately 90-95% of anorexia nervosa sufferers are girls and women (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

Between 0.5-1% of American women suffer from anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses in young women (Hsu, 1996).

Between 5-20% of individuals struggling with anorexia nervosa will die. The probabilities of death increases within that range depending on the length of the condition ( Zerbe, 1995).

Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest death rates of any mental health condition.

Anorexia nervosa typically appears in early to mid-adolescence.

Anorexia Nervosa in Males

-------------------------------------------

Anorexia nervosa is a severe, life-threatening disorder in which the individual refuses to maintain a minimally normal body weight, is intensely afraid of gaining weight, and exhibits a significant distortion in the perception of the shape or size of his body, as well as dissatisfaction with his body shape and size.

Behavioral Characteristics:

Excessive dieting, fasting, restricted diet

Food rituals

Preoccupation with body building, weight lifting, or muscle toning

Compulsive exercise

Difficulty eating with others, lying about eating

Frequently weighing self

Preoccupation with food

Focus on certain body parts; e.g., buttocks, thighs, stomach

Disgust with body size or shape

Distortion of body size; i.e., feels fat even though others tell him he is already very thin

Emotional and Mental Characteristics:

Intense fear of becoming fat or gaining weight

Depression

Social isolation

Strong need to be in control

Rigid, inflexible thinking, all or nothing

Decreased interest in sex or fears around sex

Possible conflict over gender identity or sexual orientation

Low sense of self worth -- uses weight as a measure of worth

Difficulty expressing feelings

Perfectionistic -- strives to be the neatest, thinnest, smartest, etc.

Difficulty thinking clearly or concentrating

Irritability, denial -- believes others are overreacting to his low weight or caloric restriction

Insomnia

Physical Characteristics:

Low body weight (15% or more below what is expected for age, height, activity level)

Lack of energy, fatigue

Muscular weakness

Decreased balance, unsteady gait

Lowered body temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate

Tingling in hands and feet

Thinning hair or hair loss

Lanugo (downy growth of body hair)

Heart arrhythmia

Lowered testosterone levels

Anorexia, Bulimia, & Binge Eating Disorder:

What is an Eating Disorder?

-------------------------------------------

Eating Disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.

They are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females and males.

ANOREXIA NERVOSA is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

Symptoms include:

Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age, and activity level

Intense fear of weight gain or being fat

Feeling fat or overweight despite dramatic weight loss

Loss of menstrual periods

Extreme concern with body weight and shape BULIMIA NERVOSA is characterized by a secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging. Bulimia includes eating large amounts of food--more than most people would eat in one meal--in short periods of time, then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting, laxative abuse, or over-exercising.

Symptoms include:

Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging

Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness

Purging after a binge, (typically by self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diet pills and/or diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting)

Frequent dieting

Extreme concern with body weight and shape BINGE EATING DISORDER (also known as COMPULSIVE OVEREATING) is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. While there is no purging, there may be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets and often feelings of shame or self-hatred after a binge. People who overeat compulsively may struggle with anxiety, depression, and loneliness, which can contribute to their unhealthy episodes of binge eating. Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity.

OTHER EATING DISORDERS can include some combination of the signs and symptoms of anorexia, bulimia, and/or binge eating disorder. While these behaviors may not be clinically considered a full syndrome eating disorder, they can still be physically dangerous and emotionally draining. All eating disorders require professional help.

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